In a high-profile case, Remy St. Felix, 24, from West Palm Beach, Florida, has been convicted by a federal jury in Greensboro, North Carolina, for leading multiple violent home invasions aimed at stealing cryptocurrency. St. Felix was found guilty on nine counts, including conspiracy, kidnapping, Hobbs Act robbery, wire fraud, and brandishing a firearm during the crimes.
The conviction on June 25 followed a trial that exposed St. Felix’s leadership in an international conspiracy targeting U.S. citizens for their cryptocurrency assets. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the victims endured horrific and painful experiences as St. Felix and his gang terrorized them out of sheer greed.
Court documents and trial evidence revealed that St. Felix and his conspirators conducted home invasions across several states, including North Carolina, Florida, Texas, and New York, between December 2022 and July 2023. They used physical violence, kidnapping, and threats to coerce victims into accessing and transferring their cryptocurrency holdings. One notable incident occurred on April 12, 2023, when St. Felix and accomplice Elmer Ruben Castro forcibly entered a home, zip-tied the residents, and demanded access to their crypto accounts.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office spearheaded the investigation, with assistance from other field offices and local police departments. Despite the gang’s efforts to cover their tracks using sophisticated money-laundering techniques and encrypted communication, investigators successfully connected the dots, arrested the criminals, and held them accountable. Timothy Langan, Executive Assistant Director of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, emphasized that the conviction should serve as a warning to others considering similar criminal activities.
Bing Wang, Head of Legal at BasedVC, commented on the rise of cryptocurrency-related crimes, noting that the digital nature of crypto assets makes them an appealing target for criminals. However, Wang highlighted that law enforcement agencies have developed effective methods for tracking stolen cryptocurrency and identifying those responsible for such crimes. This conviction represents a significant victory in the fight against the growing trend of crypto thefts.
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