Cryptocurrency Leader Forced into Captivity, Demanded $1 Million Ransom Payment
Cryptocurrency Leader Forced into Captivity, Demanded $1 Million Ransom Payment
On Wednesday, Canadian news outlets reported that the head of a significant Canadian cryptocurrency company was abducted and demanded a ransom.
At approximately 6 p.m., the Toronto Police Department received a call regarding a kidnapping near University Avenue and Richmond Street in Toronto. The CBC confirmed the victim to be Dean Skurka, the CEO of WonderFi, a publicly traded cryptocurrency platform managing over $1.35 billion in assets.
According to the CBC, Skurka was forced into a vehicle and paid a $1 million ransom to secure his release. Eventually, he was found in Centennial Park in Toronto, assuring the outlet via email that "Our client funds and data have not been compromised or affected by this incident."
As of Thursday, the Toronto Police Department had yet to issue any official statement about the incident.
Neither Skurka nor WonderFi released any statements concerning the incident.
Cryptocurrency moguls, investors, and their associates have been the targets of numerous incidents involving thieves and kidnappers in recent years.
In September, Nick Drakon, the then-CEO of crypto research firm Revelo Intel, announced his resignation after disclosing that he had been robbed by a gang who stole both his personal funds and assets from his businesses.
Earlier this year, the FBI and local law enforcement apprehended a dozen individuals accused of carrying out a series of property invasions focusing on crypto asset holders.
The tech community is expressing concern about the safety of high-profile figures in the crypto industry, following the abduction of Dean Skurka, the future leader of WonderFi. In an effort to combat such incidents, there have been calls for increased investment in advanced tech and security solutions in the field of technology.