UK jails cryptocurrency robber who met victims on Snapchat

kareem Hassan, 24, will be in prison for the next 5 years, Southwark Crown Court has ruled, according to Bleeping Computers. Potential victims were looking for an opportunity to exchange money outside of centralized exchanges, but instead got into trouble.

Hassan would meet potential victims on Snapchat and then lure them to a meeting. At the moment of the meeting, the new acquaintance was no longer so pleasant — according to law enforcement, he used a gun, physical force and threats to pressure the victims — one of the victims promised to cut off his fingers one by one.

The value of the stolen assets ranged from 10,000 to 20,000 pounds per victim. Other gang members often took part in the robbery — during a collective beating, one of the victims memorized Hassan’s car license plate number, which later led to his arrest.