Two brothers from Waller, Texas, pleaded guilty in the case where they held a family in Minnesota at gunpoint for hours and had them transfer more than $8 million in crypto assets. Isiah Angelo Garcia and Raymond Christian Garcia pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of obstructing commerce by robbery, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Detention of nearly nine hours
According to court records, Isiah Garcia, 25, and Raymond Garcia, 24, drove from Texas to Grant, Minnesota, and broke into a family’s home. In the story reported by the prosecutor’s office, it was stated that Raymond Garcia used a long-barreled gun and tied the family’s mother and adult son with plastic handcuffs, forcing them to hold them on the ground for hours.
According to the indictment, Isiah Garcia also forced the father with a shotgun to log into his crypto accounts and transfer his assets. The investigation file included information that it was learned that additional crypto assets were found in the family’s cabin in Jacobson during the attack, and that the father was taken there and the remaining funds were transferred. It was announced that the total amount exceeded 8 million dollars.
According to the file submitted by federal prosecutors, the brothers pleaded guilty in the incident where they seized $ 8 million in crypto assets and agreed to pay back the full amount they stole.
The family’s son later managed to call 911. The suspects fled the scene, but personal items they left behind helped the FBI and Washington County Sheriff’s Office track them down. Authorities reported that the two brothers were captured in the Houston area.
Federal penalties could get tougher
A maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison is on the agenda for each of the Garcia brothers. Additionally, within the scope of the settlement submitted to the court, it was agreed to return the entire $8 million. The case is considered part of a broader trend in which prosecutors are seeking harsher penalties for physical attacks targeting crypto assets.
In another file mentioned in the news, it was reminded that 25-year-old Adam Iza, who introduced himself as “The Godfather”, pleaded guilty to the charge of organizing the kidnapping attempt of a couple in Connecticut. It was reported that this incident was related to 4,100 Bitcoins worth approximately 245 million dollars, and federal prosecutors were asking for a 35-year prison sentence.
Attacks using physical force are increasing
Security experts say attacks that use direct physical pressure to bypass digital security measures are on the rise. Blockchain security company CertiK found 34 confirmed cases of physical coercion in the first four months of 2026. This number is 41% higher than in the same period in 2025. If the current pace is maintained, it is predicted that there will be approximately 130 incidents by the end of the year.
Mini dictionary: A physical force attack refers to a type of crime in which attackers try to obtain information such as wallet keys or account access by threatening the person, rather than by digital means. CertiK is a research company working in the field of blockchain security and event tracking.
It was stated that approximately 70 crypto-related kidnapping or extortion attempts have been recorded in France since the beginning of 2026, and 88 people were accused in these files. It was claimed that some cases were associated with data leaks on the crypto tax platform Waltio, and the portfolio value and personal information of approximately 50 thousand users were exposed.
Following the increasing incidents of violence, it was reported that the decentralized insurance platform Nexus Mutual started to offer kidnapping and ransom coverage for crypto asset owners. It was stated that annual premiums vary between 0.75% and 2% of the insured amount, and the annual cost of a 250 thousand dollar policy can reach up to 5 thousand dollars. Blockchain intelligence company TRM Labs emphasizes that visible on-chain wealth on the internet leads to easy profiling of potential targets.
