Missouri Man Admits Role in Cryptocurrency Robbery Scheme

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MARTEL WILLIAMS, 27, of St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to an offense stemming from his involvement in an attempted robbery of Bitcoin in August 2024.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 25, 2024, Danbury Police arrested six Florida men who were involved in a violent carjacking and the beating and kidnapping of two occupants of the vehicle on that date. The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual who participated in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin.

In an attempt to steal some of that Bitcoin, the individuals who coordinated the attempted robbery and kidnapping first recruited Williams and two associates from St. Louis to carry out the plan. Between approximately August 21 and August 24, 2024, Williams and others traveled to Connecticut and obtained rental vehicles and supplies, including air rifles, walkie talkies and a laptop computer. They then stalked the intended target and his parents over the course of two days, waiting for the opportunity to force their way into their home where they would threaten the target and demand that he transfer the stolen cryptocurrency into accounts controlled by the scheme's coordinators. Fearing that they had been captured on home security cameras and frustrated by the plan and a lack of communication with their co-conspirators, Williams and his associates left Connecticut. Shortly thereafter, the crew from Florida arrived to carry out the plan.

Williams, who was arrested on July 17, 2026, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery ("Hobbs Act Robbery"), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Williams is released pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI Los Angeles, FBI St. Louis, and the Danbury Police Department. The FBI Task Force includes members from the Connecticut State Police and several local police departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Stephanie T. Levick.

U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Central District of California, the Eastern District of Missouri, the District of Columbia, and the District of New Jersey, and the State's Attorney's Office for the Judicial District of Danbury, for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution of this matter.