Three Missouri men have been charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery in connection with an alleged Bitcoin theft plot. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut, Sedric Louis, 32, John Davis, 34, and Martel Williams, 27, all of St. Louis, face federal conspiracy charges under the Hobbs Act. The charges were announced on August 4, 2024, following a second superseding indictment returned by a New Haven grand jury on May 22, 2026. The indictment alleges that the Missouri group was recruited by coordinators to steal some of the Bitcoin that had been previously stolen.
Prosecutors allege that the Missouri group traveled to Connecticut between August 21-24, 2024, obtaining rental vehicles, air rifles, and walkie-talkies before conducting surveillance on the intended target and his parents for two consecutive days. As reported by the Justice Department, the alleged plan involved entering the family's home, threatening the target, and forcing Bitcoin transfers to accounts controlled by the organizers. The group departed after fearing home security cameras had recorded them and losing confidence in the operation due to poor communication with co-conspirators.
The case is part of a broader federal investigation involving multiple defendants. Adam Iza pleaded guilty on June 1 to the same Hobbs Act conspiracy offense, with sentencing scheduled for August 12. Saif Faiq pleaded guilty on June 8, with sentencing set for August 28. According to prosecutors, the case reflects the use of physical coercion to target digital asset holders, with the federal prison sentence carrying a maximum of 20 years under the Hobbs Act. The alleged coordinators James Schwab, Adam Iza, and Saif Faiq were charged earlier in the investigation.
The three defendants have all pleaded not guilty to the federal charges. Louis and Davis remain detained since their June 25, 2026 arrests and pleaded not guilty on July 30 in Bridgeport federal court. Williams pleaded not guilty on July 17 and was released on bond. The Justice Department emphasized that "an indictment is not evidence of guilt" and that all three defendants remain presumed innocent. Meanwhile, the six Florida men arrested over the kidnapping have already pleaded guilty, according to earlier statements from authorities.
The investigation spans multiple jurisdictions and time periods. As reported by the Justice Department, six Florida men were arrested on August 25, 2024, following a violent carjacking and kidnapping of two people. The attackers allegedly beat and kidnapped the target's parents during the carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus. The FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force, FBI offices in Los Angeles and St. Louis, and Danbury police are investigating the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen L. Peck and Daniel George prosecuting the charges.
