Overview
- Armstrong and Rucker, who prosecutors say traveled from Tennessee to target wealthy crypto owners, appeared Tuesday in San Francisco federal court for appointment of counsel and remain in custody.
- A federal grand jury indicted Elijah Armstrong, Nino Chindavanh, and Jayden Rucker on charges that include conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, attempted robbery, and attempted kidnapping.
- Prosecutors allege the crew posed as UPS, DoorDash, and pizza couriers to enter homes, then used guns, duct tape, and zip ties to force access to accounts, including one $6.5 million transfer at gunpoint and a threat to cut off a victim’s finger.
- The alleged spree stretched across San Francisco, San Jose, Sunnyvale, and Los Angeles in late 2025, with arrests on December 22 and December 31 after incidents that included a Mission Dolores home invasion; one victim later reported losses of about $13 million in Bitcoin and Ethereum, according to police records.
- Authorities say the pattern matches a surge in so‑called wrench attacks, with cybersecurity firm CertiK counting 72 verified cases in 2025, a growing problem that investigators can often track through permanent blockchain records.