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Australian crypto billionaire Tim Heath narrowly escaped a kidnapping effort successful Estonia past twelvemonth by biting disconnected portion of the attacker’s scale finger, an Estonian tribunal has heard.
Heath, a long-time crypto investor, was attacked by 2 men posing arsenic painters successful the stairwell of his flat gathering successful July past year. There has been a increasing fig of crypto kidnappings successful 2025, forcing executives to beef up security.
One of the attackers, Azerbaijani nationalist Allahverdi Allahverdiyev — a erstwhile boxer and wrestler — tried to soundlessness Heath by placing a manus implicit his mouth, the Sydney Morning Herald reported connected Wednesday, citing Estonian media outlet Eesti Ekspress.
The assailants plotted to unit Heath into a van, but Heath spot done the assailant’s scale digit and managed to interruption free, seeking sanctuary successful his apartment, an Estonian tribunal heard.
Heath reportedly mislaid a bony successful the 30-second struggle. The attackers fled soon after, abandoning the van nearby. Part of the digit was aboriginal recovered successful the thoroughfare 100 meters distant from the country of the attack.
Originally from Victoria, Australia, Heath founded the Estonian-based Yolo Group and its task superior limb Yolo Investments, which invests heavy successful fintech, crypto and igaming. The Australian Financial Review Rich List estimates Heath’s nett worthy astatine 2.46 cardinal Australian dollars ($1.61 billion)
Australian businessman Tim Heath is fig 66 connected the Australian Financial Review Rich List, with a luck of $1.61 billion. Source: Australian Financial ReviewPlot was months successful the making
The radical of 7 kidnappers allegedly had been stalking Heath successful the lead-up to the assault, some successful idiosyncratic and utilizing a GPS tracker connected his vehicle, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
The radical allegedly entered Estonia utilizing forged Georgian passports and spent the days earlier the onslaught purchasing painters’ uniforms and different items from hardware stores truthful they could airs arsenic workmen.
It’s alleged that the program was to transport Heath to a rented sauna location adjacent and unit him to transportation implicit his crypto holdings. A hacker was besides allegedly recruited to assist.
Tim Heath (right) during a 2023 code astatine the EGR Power 50 Summit. Source: Yolo GroupOther than Allahverdiyev, Georgian national Ilgar Mamedov has besides been arrested. Both men are connected proceedings successful Estonia. Two others are wanted by police, including the alleged organizer, Najaf Najafli, portion 3 person yet to beryllium identified.
The accused claims innocence
Allahverdiyev told the tribunal helium was promised 100,000 euros ($118,000) for the kidnapping but “only pretended to bash something” and aboriginal told everyone progressive to abort the plan, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
Prosecutors allege Mamedov was the getaway driver. However, helium denies engagement and claims helium came to Estonia by mishap portion traveling successful the portion and that immoderate allegations helium was progressive are a “lie” and “a fabrication.”
Threat mightiness inactive ongoing
Prosecutors besides assertion that a fewer weeks aft the failed kidnapping plot, Heath received a connection via Telegram with photos of his flat and a request for 30 Bitcoin (BTC) worthy astir $3.3 cardinal astatine the time.
Related: TikTok crypto trader freed aft kidnappers realized he’s broke
When Heath didn’t respond, the kidnappers made nary further attempts to interaction him, but prosecutors reason the menace mightiness beryllium ongoing.
Heath has reportedly spent much than $3.1 cardinal connected backstage information since the onslaught and moved homes. His ineligible squad is seeking to person the costs of his caller information reimbursed by the accused kidnappers.
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