The US Department of Justice (DOJ) recently accused a cryptocurrency investor of allegedly kidnapping and torturing an Italian citizen in an attempt to steal his cryptocurrency assets. According to the indictment in the Federal Court for the Eastern District of New York, the defendant Michael “Mitch” Hassen has been charged with multiple felony crimes including kidnapping, torture and money laundering. If convicted, he could face up to life imprisonment.
Case background: Cross-border cryptocurrency theft conspiracy
According to the investigation, the victim was Luca Rossi, an Italian cryptocurrency holder who accumulated approximately 12 million US dollars in assets through cryptocurrency transactions in 2024. Hassen and his accomplices (including an unnamed Italian citizen) planned the attack, claiming suspicion that Rossi was involved in the cryptocurrency fraud against Hassen.
In March 2025, Hassen lured Rossi to an apartment in Rome, Italy, and then detained her with his accomplices for as long as 48 hours. The indictment described that they used means such as electric shock, suffocation threats and physical violence to force Rossi to hand over the private key and transaction password of the cryptocurrency wallet. Ultimately, Hassen transferred $11.7 million worth of assets from Rossi’s wallet through multiple decentralized exchanges (DEXs), including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and stablecoins.
Modus operandi: Using the liquidity of cryptocurrencies to cover up traces
The investigation shows that Hassen used cross-chain Bridges and the Tornado Cash service to clean up ill-gotten money, attempting to cover up the flow of funds. He converted some of his assets into Monero (XMR) and purchased gift cards and NFTS through dark web platforms, attempting to further confuse the asset path. However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) traced the key transaction nodes through on-chain analysis and eventually arrested him in Miami.
Michael Driscoll, the director of the FBI’s New York branch, said, “This case has exposed the dark side of the cryptocurrency field – when greed overcomes reason, criminals will stop at nothing.” On-chain data is always the key to tracking crimes. Even with anonymous tools, it is impossible to completely erase the traces.
Legal dispute: The particularity of torture allegations
The focus of this case lies in the application of “torture allegations”. According to the Torture Act of the United States, even if the criminal act occurs outside the United States, as long as the defendant is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, they can still be prosecuted. Hassen’s legal team argued that the defendant “only committed coercive acts and did not cause permanent physical harm”, attempting to mitigate the charges. However, the prosecutor pointed out that the victim’s medical report indicated that she had electric shock burns and psychological trauma, which met the definition of torture.
Cryptocurrency law expert Erin Chang analyzed: “This is the first time that torture charges have been applied to cryptocurrency-related cases in the United States, setting a precedent.” It sends a clear signal: Violent acts carried out to obtain digital assets will face the harshest legal sanctions.
Industry impact: Encrypted security is once again in the spotlight
The incident has sparked a new round of discussions on asset security in the crypto industry. Security firm Chainalysis reminds users that private key management must follow the principle of “never disclose to others”, and at the same time be vigilant against offline invitations from strangers. Some platforms have begun to launch “anti-kidnapping training” to guide users on asset protection strategies in extreme situations.
“Cold wallet storage, multi-signature and contingency planning are compulsory courses for every high-net-worth investor,” said Gu Ronghui, CTO of blockchain security firm CertiK. “This case also highlights the progress of on-chain tracking technology. Even if funds are transferred to anonymous coins, professional investigations can still identify criminals.”
Subsequent progress and international cooperation
The Italian police have launched a pursuit of the co-conspirators and are expected to issue a red wanted notice through INTERPOL. Hassen is currently detained at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York, and his bail application was rejected by the court. The case is scheduled to be heard in court on July 15, 2025. If all charges are proven, he will become the first criminal in the United States to be sentenced to life imprisonment for cryptocurrency crimes.
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