Two Suspects Held in Vienna Killing Linked to Crypto Wallet
- Two suspects were arrested over a killing tied to forced crypto wallet access.
- The victim’s charred body was found Nov. 26 in a burned Mercedes in Donaustadt.
- Police haven’t disclosed the crypto stolen or a full motive, only that wallets were forced.
Two suspects are in custody after the killing of a 21-year-old Ukrainian man in Vienna. Police say the victim was robbed and assaulted. Investigators say he was forced to reveal the passwords to his crypto wallet. His body was later found in a burned car. Authorities have not released the value or type of crypto taken in the case.
According to reports, Vienna police confirmed the identity of the victim as 21-year-old Danylo K. Ukrainian media have linked him to Kharkiv Deputy Mayor Sergey K., though police have not confirmed that detail. They said the victim’s charred remains were found on Nov. 26. Police found the body inside a burned Mercedes, and the car had Ukrainian license plates. The vehicle was located in Vienna’s Donaustadt district. Fire alarms in a nearby housing complex were triggered, according to reports. Emergency crews responded after the alerts. The burned car was then discovered.
Crypto Theft Details Withheld As CCTV And Border Records Lead To Arrests
Investigators have not disclosed which cryptocurrencies were stolen or published an amount for the theft. Officials also have not issued a formal statement on motive. Police have said the case involved forced access to digital wallets.
Authorities said they traced the suspects using several records. They reviewed surveillance footage from a hotel garage and also used images from a gas station. Border-crossing records were also part of the identification work.
Police said the suspects left Austria for Ukraine after the killing. Austrian police described the suspects as a 19-year-old and a 45-year-old. They were later arrested in Ukraine, police said. The arrests were announced after coordination with Ukrainian authorities.
At the request of Ukrainian officials, the case would be transferred to Ukraine for prosecution. Austrian police said the transfer would follow legal procedures. They did not provide a timeline. They also did not specify the charges expected in Ukraine.
The investigation remains ongoing, police said. Officials have not described what evidence was recovered. They also have not said whether any stolen crypto has been traced. No additional suspects have been announced.
Related: X Takes Legal Steps on Criminal Crypto Scams Using Social Media
Crypto Violence Rises in 2025
The Vienna case comes amid wider concern over violent crimes linked to crypto theft. Multiple countries have reported robberies and abductions tied to wallet access in 2025. These cases often involve threats intended to force transfers. Police agencies have treated them as organized and high-risk.
In France, authorities charged 25 suspects in kidnapping plots targeting crypto holders. Reports said the group included teenagers and minors. The alleged goal was to force victims to hand over wallet keys. Officials described those schemes as “wrench attack” style operations.
In Belgium, a court sentenced three men to 12 years each in a crypto-kidnapping case. The case included ransom demands tied to a large digital asset portfolio. The court filings were cited in coverage. Further details were not included in the police statements discussed here.
In the United States, two 16-year-olds from Florida were charged with 22 felony counts. The case was linked to an alleged $4 million crypto kidnapping and theft. The charges were reported earlier in 2025. Authorities did not connect that case to the Vienna investigation.
In London, an American tourist reported a separate alleged theft after a fake Uber ride. She said she was drugged and later found $123,000 in Bitcoin and XRP missing. The report described the drug as “Devil’s Breath.”
