Five UK individuals sentenced for 'Wrench Attack' on cryptocurrency holders, victims forced to transfer crypto assets

BlockBeats News, May 23rd, the UK police announced that five individuals have been sentenced in a case of a "Wrench Attack" targeting cryptocurrency holders. The suspects met the victim at a Shoreditch bar in London in July 2025, forcibly took them back to their home, and through violent threats and facial recognition authentication, coerced them to access their bank and cryptocurrency accounts, stealing over £10,000 in funds, cryptocurrency, a watch, and other belongings.

During the investigation, the cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase reported the victim's account for suspicious activity to the authorities. Subsequently, the police identified and arrested the individuals involved.

The court ultimately sentenced the four main culprits to prison terms ranging from 3.5 to 6.5 years, while another individual involved in the case was sentenced to community service for money laundering. The police stated that this case has caused long-term psychological trauma to the victim and their family, highlighting the increasing risk of offline violent crimes targeting cryptocurrency asset holders.