In brief
- Remy St Felix was previously convicted of leading a home invasion crew that swiped crypto from victims.
- Already serving 47 years in prison, he was sentenced to six additional years for beating a witness.
- So-called wrench attacks, or physical assaults on crypto holders, have accelerated this year.
A Florida man sentenced to 47 years in prison last September for orchestrating a string of violent home invasions against crypto owners received additional punishment last week, awarded extra time for attacking a witness, according to the U.S. Justice Department.
Remy St Felix, 25, was sentenced to another seven years in prison for attacking a witness who testified to his involvement in the sweeping home invasion scheme, in which some crypto owners were assaulted and bound with zip ties, authorities said in a press release.
St Felix approached the witness, who was shackled and handcuffed, in a North Carolina-based detention center, striking him in the face, head, and body in October, according to authorities. Taking place after St Felix’s conviction on nine counts—including kidnapping and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of crimes of violence—he called the witness a “rat,” they said.
St Felix told the witness that his 47-year prison sentence was their fault, the Department said, adding that he later “gloated” about the beating to his girlfriend and mother.
In May, St Felix pleaded guilty to one count of retaliation against a witness for testimony in a criminal trial. However, 36 months of the sentence are expected to run concurrent to his previous sentence, effectively lengthening his time total behind bars by nearly four years on paper.
St Felix’s second conviction comes amid an uptick in cases of physical violence against crypto owners. Often referred to as “wrench attacks,” these methods seek to surpass the most advanced security measures an individual could have by relying on violence and brute force.
The pattern has been especially notable in Paris, where multiple victims have had their fingers severed while in captivity. Authorities in the region have made dozens of arrests, including a 24-year-old mastermind in June. Another wrench attack in France was reported this week.
In one instance in the U.S., St Felix’s crew abducted an individual from their Florida home, then drove 120 miles away and beat them while they were held hostage. Another time, a Texas family was restrained for three hours before the group absconded with cash and luxury watches.
St Felix was charged alongside 13 co-conspirators, and in total, authorities say the group stole $3.5 million worth of cryptocurrency. St Felix was ordered to pay $524,000 in restitution, representing the value of stolen assets, alongside his initial sentencing in September.
At the time, another co-conspirator, Jarod Gabriel Seemungal, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He was ordered to pay $4 million in restitution for providing members of the home invasion team with rental cars, hotel rooms, and firearms.
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