Crypto Millionaires Held Captive in Brutal Blackmail Ordeal

Two cryptocurrency millionaires were held captive for over two days by a London gang in a bid to blackmail them, a court heard. The men's extravagant lifestyles, which included posting about their wealth on social media, likely made them targets for extortion.

The victims, both in their 20s and from France, were ambushed by three masked men with a gun and a knife after leaving their rented Mercedes in Shadwell, east London. They were then driven to a flat in Canning Town, where they were held for 52 hours.

During their ordeal, the victims said they were beaten, bound with tape and cable ties, and forced into compromising positions. One was also sexually assaulted by two members of the gang, although the jury cleared them of this charge due to laws protecting alleged victims of sexual assault.

The millionaires were eventually freed after a car chase through residential London streets, during which one of the offenders crashed into a lamp post while driving at speeds of up to 70mph. The police operation to track down the gang was codenamed 'Operation Azawahk' and relied heavily on tracking mobile phones and CCTV footage.

The mastermind behind the plot, known as Nino or Fatboy, is still at large. Six men have been convicted of conspiracy to blackmail, false imprisonment, and other charges, including Isaac Bakoya, 18, Adel Sineen, 18, Julius George, 22, Gerson Borges, 24, Mohamed Osman, 29, and William Adebisi, 19.