A federal grand jury has indicted three Tennessee men on charges they carried out a violent cross-state crypto robbery spree, using guns, zip ties, and duct tape to force victims into handing over digital assets. Elijah Armstrong (21), Nino Chindavanh (21), and Jayden Rucker (25) face counts including conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, attempted kidnapping, and related crimes. In one incident, prosecutors say a victim was forced at gunpoint to log into crypto accounts while a co-conspirator moved roughly $6.5 million in digital assets to wallets controlled by the group.
How the scheme worked
According to the indictment, the suspects posed as delivery workers to get inside victims’ homes in San Francisco, San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Los Angeles. Once inside, they used guns, zip ties, and duct tape to restrain the occupants. The alleged crimes unfolded over several months last year. Armstrong and Rucker were arrested in Los Angeles on December 31; Chindavanh had been detained earlier in December in Sunnyvale. All three remain in federal custody.
Wrench attacks on the rise
The case lands as physical attacks on crypto holders are climbing. Blockchain security firm CertiK documented 34 verified wrench attacks — where victims are forced to transfer funds under duress — between January and April 2026, a 41% increase year-over-year. CertiK projects roughly 130 such attacks for the full year. The spree described in the indictment matches the pattern: armed intruders targeting known crypto investors at home.
Legal stakes
If convicted, Armstrong, Chindavanh, and Rucker each face up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 fines for some charges. The conspiracy to commit kidnapping count carries a potential life sentence. U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian called the scheme “sophisticated, brazen, violent, and dangerous.” The defendants are expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks to enter pleas.
