Evan Luthra details Oxford kidnapping, losing over $2M in crypto
Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree Evan Luthra has detailed a kidnapping and robbery in Oxford, England, during which five masked men stole more than $2 million in crypto and valuables.
Luthra was with four friends after an event at Oxford University when five masked assailants ambushed the group.
The attackers assaulted Luthra and forced him to unlock his phone using Face ID, then quickly moved to drain his exchange accounts.
They made off with more than $1.5 million from Binance and approximately $600,000 worth of Ethereum from Gate.io, along with a Richard Mille watch valued at around £450,000.
Thames Valley Police confirmed the incident and launched an investigation involving financial tracing and CCTV review.
Recovery and legal delays
Luthra said nearly $1 million in assets has been recovered with help from exchanges and a UK court order issued under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
Binance’s share of that recovery for Luthra came to about $370,000.
Luthra has expressed frustration over delays in accessing his phone, which he attributes to police procedures and believes significantly affected how much he ultimately lost.
The case against Abdul Malik Cali, 24, faces five counts of conspiracy to commit robbery, but the trial has been postponed from November 2026 to November 2027.
Luthra’s identity as the victim was not publicly known at first. It came out months later, in a November 2026 interview where he also described the partial recovery of his assets.
Rising risk of wrench attacks
The case occurs amid a reported surge in so-called wrench attacks, where criminals use physical force to make a victim hand over access to crypto assets.
This incident underscores the role exchanges can play in recovery when they collaborate with law enforcement and courts.
The gap between more than $2 million taken and just under $1 million recovered shows how much can slip away before action is taken.
The use of a POCA court order in this case demonstrates that existing UK tools can be applied to digital assets held on exchanges, potentially offering future victims a clearer path to partial recovery.
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