A crypto trader was bound, gagged and threatened with a machete in a terrifying kidnap ordeal. The 17-year-old had bin bags stuffed into his mouth and a pillow put on his face after being lured to an apartment in Preston.
The gang taped bin bags around the walls of a bathroom to give the teenager the impression there would be blood shed. He was then bundled into a car boot and, fearing he was going to be murdered, he hid hairs into his pocket to provide police with forensic evidence.
As reported by Lancashire Live, the gang tried to rob the young man of £20,000. In January 2020,he reached his £10,000 cryptocurrency withdrawal limit and needed help accessing more funds to continue his enterprise, Preston Crown Court heard.
News of the teenager's success was 'common knowledge' and Tasmina Rhaman, 21, contacted him, offering to help. Using a fake Snapchat profile, Rhaman arranged to meet the teenager at apartments on January 16. Clare Thomas, prosecuting, said the teenager hoped to meet in a public place, but Rahman insisted on meeting indoors.
The trader and a friend went to the apartment, and when Rahman met them she told them she needed a phone charger and the boys agreed to fetch one from home. While they were away, Rahman's 16-year-old cousin who cannot be named for legal reasons and Takudzwa Murombedzi, 20, went to the hotel room and lay in wait.
The 16-year-old had a machete and had his hood up, while Murombedzi wore a balaclava. When the teenager returned he was outnumbered and taken by surprise.
Ms Thomas said: "His hands were restrained, his mobile phone taken from him, a pillow placed over his head and bin bags stuffed in his mouth. They said they knew he had £20,000 and said he would be killed if he didn't give it to them.
"He was forced to open his mobile phone and they said they would hurt his mum and his younger brother if he did not give it to them. Ms Rahman was smiling as he was being tied up and threatened with the machete."
The victim said he did not have £20,000 and was forced to sit on the toilet until they got a chair. They said they would share on social media to humiliate him.
Rahman went to the teenager's home, along with Albert Kahiya, 19, who was the gang's designated driver. Kahiya told the victim's mum her son was with friends and he was there to collect some things.
"She was shocked and scared that her son was missing, and she had a young child in the house", Ms Thomas said. "He (the victim) was put on the phone and told to drop £20,000 out of the window. He hoped his mum would realise he was in danger and phone the police."
Back at the hotel the teenager was untied and the bin bags were removed from his mouth and hands before being ordered into the boot of a waiting Peugeot. He was eventually dumped in Chorley and ran to a stranger’s house for help.
In a statement, the victim said, before the incident, he was very sociable and enjoyed going out with his family, but now constantly watches his back. When he leaves the house he worries he is being followed.
In a letter to the court, the 16-year-old defendant, who the victim thought was the mastermind of the plot, said he was sorry for what he had done, and hoped the victim and his family got peace of mind from the outcome of the hearing.
Beverley Hackett, defending Kahiya, said he did not know the true extent of what he was getting involved in when he agreed to go to Preston. He was an otherwise unremarkable young person who lives with his parents, works in a warehouse and has no criminal record, she said.
Speaking on behalf of the defendant Murombedzi, Daniel Harman said: “He is an impressive young man who made a catastrophic, life changing mistake.” Murombedzi, of Harebell Road, Didcock, Oxfordshire, and the 16-year-old defendant pleaded guilty to robbery and conspiracy to kidnap.
Rahman, of Holland Road, Sheffield, and Kahiya, of Willow Way, Coventry, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap. Sentencing, Judge Darren Preston said: “Your victim appears to have done well for himself trading in cryptocurrency, despite being only 17 years old.
!Together you hatched a plot, whereby Rahman lured him into your collective web using a fake Snapchat name because it seems he was unable, due to his age, to get sufficient credit to trade as he wanted to. There was a plot to set him up.
"He feared for his life. This was a terrifying experience for anyone, let alone a 17-year-old. The whole enterprise was planned. It was designed to cause maximum fear and distress."
He told the defendants they were all from decent families, adding: "Why you got involved in this is difficult to fathom as this is serious criminality. If you were adults you would be getting sentences measured in double figures.”
He sentenced Murombedzi and the 16-year-old defendant to six years each for the robbery and five years for the kidnap to run concurrently, to be served in a young offenders institute. Kahiya, who played a lesser role, was sentenced to four years. Rahman was not represented at the hearing and will be sentenced on January 16.
