Teens kidnap Las Vegas man, steal $4M in cryptocurrency: Police
Share and Follow

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Three teenagers are accused of kidnapping a man at gunpoint, driving him to a remote desert area an hour outside of Las Vegas, and stealing $4 million in cryptocurrency and other digital assets, the 8 News Now Investigators have learned.

Belal Ashraf and Austin Fletcher, both 16 and from Pasco County, Florida; and a third teenager, face charges including robbery, kidnapping, and extortion, records said. A juvenile court judge previously certified Ashraf and Fletcher as adults.

The third teenager was no longer in the United States, a prosecutor said during Fletcher’s probable cause hearing Friday. The men are accused of stealing $4 million in cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), prosecutors said.

Last November, a man called police saying three young men kidnapped him at gunpoint, drove him to a remote desert area, and stole millions of dollars from him, documents said.

Police suspect the three young men then drove the victim across the Nevada border to White Hills, Arizona — more than 70 miles and an hour’s drive from Las Vegas. The victim walked five miles alone in the desert to reach a gas station where he called a friend to pick him up, documents said. (KLAS)

That night, the victim was hosting a cryptocurrency-related event at a business in downtown Las Vegas, police said. The victim then returned to his apartment complex and parked his car. The three suspects then approached him and forced him into the back seat of their vehicle, police said.

“[The victim] was told if he complied, he would live to see another day, and if he did not comply, they had his dad and would kill him,” documents said. “[The victim] had a towel placed over his head and was told by the suspects not to look at them.”

The young men demanded the victim’s passwords and threatened him for access to his financial accounts, police said. It also appeared that another person was directly speaking to the young men through a phone call, which the victim could hear through a speakerphone.

Police suspect the three young men then drove the victim across the Nevada border to White Hills, Arizona more than 70 miles and an hour’s drive from Las Vegas. The victim walked five miles alone in the desert to reach a gas station where he called a friend to pick him up, documents said.

Austin Fletcher, 16, appears in Las Vegas Justice Court on May 9, 2025. (KLAS)

Metro investigators later tracked a possible suspect vehicle traveling from Florida to Nevada, specifically including the locations of the victim’s apartment. In a separate vehicle stop in Mississippi, a gun involving a suspect’s family member matched one in one of the teenager’s social media profiles, police said.

The three teenagers were also involved in disturbances together at a Florida high school, police said.

In one report from last summer, the young men “were reported as swearing in English and Arabic, and [Ashraf] was observed shoulder checking a school resource officer,” and screaming at an assistant principal, documents said.

During Friday’s hearing, Fletcher’s public defender argued for her client to serve house arrest. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Daniel Westmeyer set bail at $4 million.

This surveillance photo shows the victim’s car leaving during the kidnapping, police say. (KLAS)

During a hearing Tuesday in Ashraf’s case, his attorney, Ross Goodman, argued for his client to serve house arrest. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Noreen Demonte ordered Ashraf’s release with electronic monitoring, records said.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for June. The FBI assisted in the investigation, documents said.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Chicago fire: 75-year-old man killed in fire on West George Street in Avondale on Northwest Side, police and fire officials say

Tragic Avondale Blaze Claims Life of 75-Year-Old: Investigating the West George Street Fire Incident

A tragic fire claimed a life Friday on Chicago’s Northwest Side, authorities…
Man injured in South Austin, Chicago stabbing during attempted robbery on CTA Green Line train on North Central Avenue: CPD

Shocking CTA Green Line Stabbing: Man Injured in Violent Robbery Attempt in South Austin, Chicago

CHICAGO (WLS) — Early Friday morning, a passenger on the CTA was…
Parents’ relentless hunt for missing daughter heats up as new tech breathes life into case

Parents’ Determined Search for Missing Daughter Intensifies with Innovative Technology Reviving Case

Two decades have passed since Jennifer Kesse’s unexplained disappearance, yet her parents…
Heating costs jump 70% as icy blast looms and families fear $5k bills

Brace for Impact: Heating Costs Skyrocket 70% as Icy Weather Threatens to Push Family Bills to $5,000

Americans should be prepared for a significant rise in heating costs as…
Russia-Ukraine war news: Russia attacks Ukraine ahead of second day of peace talks between US and both countries

Tensions Rise: Russia Launches Strikes on Ukraine Amid Peace Talks with US

In a wave of overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine, at least one…
New moms' farts may help with postpartum depression, Harvard study says

Harvard Study Suggests New Mothers’ Intestinal Gas Could Play a Role in Alleviating Postpartum Depression

Attention, new mothers! A groundbreaking study from Harvard University reveals that a…
Justin Baldoni's creepy Britney Spears comment exposed in Lively texts

Justin Baldoni’s Controversial Britney Spears Remark Uncovered in Revealing Text Exchanges with Blake Lively

Blake Lively and her co-star from “It Ends With Us,” Jenny Slate,…
Border Patrol-involved shooting reported in Minneapolis

Breaking News: Minneapolis Incident Involving Border Patrol Sparks Investigation

A shooting involving Border Patrol agents has reportedly occurred in Minneapolis, Minnesota,…