Bitcoin Developer Released After $1m Bitcoin Paid to Kidnappers
Published on:
Dec/30/2017
- Victim said to be "safe" but 'stressed"
- Crypto entrepreneur Pavel Learner disappeared this past Tuesday
- Police confirmed that Learner had been forcibly dragged out to a van by armed individuals
- Kidnappers make off with $1 million in Bitcoin paid randsom
A male employee of a UK-registered cryptocurrency exchange has been reported ‘safe, but stressed’ following his kidnapping by gunmen and ultimate release following a $1 million randsom, paid out in Bitcoin.
40-year-old Russian programmer and cryptocurrency investor Pavel Lerner disappeared in Kiev on Tuesday.
Police immediately confirmed that the Russian IT expert was seen by witnesses being dragged into a van. The registration number of that vehicle was released to the public.
An adviser to the Ukrainian interior minister confirmed the release and condition of Learner to Reuters on Friday.
