Federal prosecutors in Connecticut have charged three men from St. Louis in an alleged plan to invade a home and force the transfer of bitcoin linked to a theft worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The charge, conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act, carries a maximum sentence of 20 years for each defendant.
The indictment, announced by U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan on Aug. 4, names Sedric Louis, 32, John Davis, 34, and Martel Williams, 27. Prosecutors say the intended victims were the parents of a person who had taken part in the underlying bitcoin theft, and that the home invasion was meant to pressure the family into moving the cryptocurrency into accounts controlled by the organizers.
What prosecutors allege
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, the three men were recruited by others who organized the scheme and were expected to carry it out on the ground. Authorities allege they were to force entry into a Connecticut residence, threaten the occupant, and compel a transfer of the stolen crypto.
Prosecutors said the kidnapping victims were the parents of an individual involved in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in bitcoin. Sullivan also emphasized that an indictment is only an allegation and does not establish guilt.
Travel, surveillance and an aborted attempt
Court allegations say Louis, Davis and Williams traveled to Connecticut between Aug. 21 and Aug. 24, 2024. After arriving, they picked up rental vehicles and obtained supplies including air rifles and walkie-talkies.
Over the following two days, investigators say, the group watched the target and the target’s parents while waiting for a chance to enter the house. That chance never came. Prosecutors allege the men eventually abandoned the effort because they feared home security cameras had captured them, and because they had become frustrated and lost contact with co-conspirators before leaving the state.
How the case connects to a wider kidnapping prosecution
Federal authorities say another group from Florida arrived soon after the St. Louis men left and attempted to execute the same plan. That episode ended in a violent carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the arrest of six men on Aug. 25, 2024.
The Connecticut case has expanded since early 2025. James Schwab of Peachtree Corners, Georgia, was charged on Feb. 25, 2025, with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. A superseding indictment returned on Oct. 28, 2025, added Adam Iza of California and Saif Faiq of St. Louis to the Danbury kidnapping case.
Faiq pleaded guilty on June 8 in Hartford federal court to an offense tied to the attempted bitcoin robbery and the Danbury kidnapping. Prosecutors said investigators identified a co-conspirator who had argued with the victims’ son at a Miami nightclub in July 2024 and later stayed in contact with certain kidnappers. Six other people charged in connection with the carjacking and kidnapping have also pleaded guilty.
Current status of the defendants
Louis and Davis have remained in custody since their arrests on June 25. Both pleaded not guilty in federal court in Bridgeport on July 30. Williams entered the same plea on July 17 and was released on bond.
The newly announced charges add another layer to a prosecution centered on attempts to recover or seize bitcoin by targeting people believed to control access to it. Separate federal proceedings in California have also involved Iza, who has pleaded guilty there to the Connecticut robbery conspiracy as well as other crimes, according to prosecutors. The Connecticut case now moves forward with the three St. Louis defendants contesting the allegations.
Source: news.bitcoin.com