CertiK is reporting a 41% surge in so-called wrench attacks — physical assaults where victims are forced to transfer crypto — over the past year. The spike is tied directly to the Nancy Guthrie case, in which attackers demanded a $6 million Bitcoin ransom. It's a stark reminder that crypto theft is increasingly going off-chain.
The Nancy Guthrie case
Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped earlier this year, and the attackers demanded a $6 million Bitcoin ransom for her release. The case drew national attention and, according to CertiK's latest data, appears to have inspired a wave of copycat incidents. Details of the ransom payment and Guthrie's fate remain under investigation, but the sheer size of the demand — $6 million in BTC — made the case a landmark in physical crypto crime.
What the data shows
CertiK's report, released this week, pegs the overall increase in wrench attacks at 41% compared to the same period in 2025. The firm tracks these incidents through public reports, law enforcement filings, and victim accounts. The 41% figure does not include attempted attacks where no crypto was transferred. The Nancy Guthrie case alone likely contributed to the jump, both in direct incidents and in copycat attempts.
Off-chain threats on the rise
Physical attacks on crypto holders are nothing new, but the scale is changing. Wrench attacks used to be rare — now they're a growing category of crypto crime. Unlike hacks or exchange exploits, these assaults target the person, not the software. Victims are often wealthy individuals known to hold large amounts of crypto, and the attacks can be brutal. The $6 million ransom in the Guthrie case set a new benchmark, and CertiK's numbers suggest others are following that playbook.
The timing isn't great for an industry already grappling with regulatory scrutiny and market volatility. Law enforcement agencies are still catching up, and many victims are reluctant to report attacks — fearing further targeting or legal complications. The 41% jump is likely an undercount.
The investigation into the Nancy Guthrie case continues, and authorities have not announced any arrests. CertiK's report does not include specific recommendations, but the message is clear: crypto holders need to think about physical security, not just digital. The question now is whether exchanges and wallet providers will start offering concrete safeguards — or whether the trend will keep climbing.
