Crypto: 17 years in prison for a wallet heist worth more than $2 million

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On April 17, 2024, Sean Favier and Iain Doyle showed up at the couple's home in Midlothian. The occupants spoke to them over the intercom and refused to let them in. The two men left. According to the account of the facts accepted before the court, they had to force one of the occupants to give Mr. Barr remote access to his computer, to allow him to transfer the cryptocurrencies.

Two months later, officers at Edinburgh Prison seized Robert Barr's phone. The messages allowed investigators to reconstruct several months of preparation. They show that Mr. Barr knew of a previous intrusion at the couple's home and that he intended to send other people there. The judge retained his role as leader of the group and the fact that he had organized the operation while he was already serving a sentence.

All three men pleaded guilty to participating in acts facilitating serious organized crime in connection with the attempted robbery. The court sentenced Robert Barr, 29, to eight years in prison, Iain Doyle, 37, to five years, and Sean Favier, 26, to four years. The judge noted in particular the risk of violence foreseen by the plan and the role of each person in its preparation or execution.

This case is part of an increase in physical attacks and attempts targeting cryptocurrency holders. Chainalysis recorded 46 incidents worldwide at the end of June 2026, compared to 40 at the same period in 2025. Its count notably includes kidnappings and home intrusions.

In Midlothian, no cryptocurrency transfers have taken place. The court nevertheless noted that the three men had prepared the operation for several months and that two of them had gone to the home to carry it out. And that was enough to get them convicted.

An editorial article. Le Journal du Coin, the first French-speaking news media on cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, and blockchain protocols.

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Machine-translated from French