Australian Woman Kidnaps Saudi Royal for Bitcoin Ransom

In Australia, 24-year-old Catherine Colivas kidnapped a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family, demanding $40,000 in bitcoin for his release. This was reported by the Daily Mail.

According to court documents, Colivas and three accomplices found their victim through a dating app, arranging a meeting. After the encounter, the woman asked her companion to walk her home, where her accomplices were waiting.

The royal was then beaten, tied with cable ties, and threatened with having his fingers cut off with a knife.

The kidnapped individual, a crypto trader, paid for his freedom with bitcoin worth approximately $40,000, transferred through a friend. The criminals also stole keys to the royal’s home, from which they took designer clothing, a Playstation 5, and several iPhones.

Afterwards, the victim was released. He immediately contacted the police and went to the hospital with head and wrist injuries.

Colivas pleaded guilty to kidnapping, extortion, reckless bodily harm, theft, and possession of a weapon. She faced a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. However, an Australian court sentenced her to only 30 months of community service.

The judge ruled that Colivas demonstrated “exceptional circumstances” required by law for avoiding imprisonment. These included her young age, difficult childhood, poor mental health, rehabilitation prospects, and the death of her brother during the trial.

Other organizers of the incident also avoided prison sentences, offering “sincere apologies” to the victim.

Back in November, unknown individuals kidnapped Dean Skurka, CEO of Canadian cryptocurrency company WonderFi, demanding $1 million.