Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Conspiracy in Failed Bitcoin Robbery Plot

Martel Williams, a 27-year-old from Missouri, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act, facing up to 20 years in prison. In August 2024, Williams and associates conducted surveillance in Connecticut equipped with air rifles, walkie-talkies, and a laptop to extort bitcoin from a resident linked to a $230 million to $245 million crypto theft. The crew abandoned the plot due to security cameras, after which a separate group kidnapped the target's parents before being arrested.