Crypto torture gang: Bitcoin millionaires forced to strip naked and held for two days in blackmail ordeal

By CLAIRE FARAGHER and DOMINIC CONNOLLY Published: 00:39, 3 August 2026 | Updated: 00:39, 3 August 2026 Two crypto millionaires held captive for more than two days by a blackmail gang were made to strip naked and forced into compromising positions, a court heard. The pair were later found to have cigarette burns on their bodies and faces and said they were tortured with boiling water. Gang members have been found guilty of offences including conspiracy to blackmail and false imprisonment. One victim alleged he was sexually assaulted by two of the men, but the jury cleared them of this. Inner London Crown Court heard the operation was controlled from overseas by Ibrahim Mohamed, who gave instructions via WhatsApp and Snapchat. He remains at large. The millionaires, who cannot be identified, are both in their 20s and from France but were staying in Kensington, west London, at the time of their ordeal in July last year. Prosecutor Heidi Stonecliffe KC described their experience as 'cold, hard torture'. She said they were 'bound with cable ties and beaten', had socks stuffed in their mouths and were threatened with having their genitals cut off and raped if they did not hand over $150,000 (£110,000). Ms Stonecliffe said they were ambushed by three masked men armed with a gun and knife after going to east London to buy cannabis. Their car was driven to a flat in Canning Town by Yasir Mohamed, 23. In the 52 hours they were held, they were fed one chicken wing between them. After transferring $30,000 in cryptocurrency, one was let go while the other was driven away, later saying he had been 'sold' to another gang. The ordeal ended after a 70mph car chase through residential London streets after the Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad tracked them down. The chase ended with Adel Sineen, 18, (pictured) crashing into a lamp post. He admitted dangerous driving Isaac Bakoya (pictured) admitted false imprisonment for his role in the gangs crimes Julius George, 22, was found guilty of false imprisonment and admitted carrying a knife The chase ended with Adel Sineen, 18, crashing into a lamp post. Julius George, 22, of Earlsfield, south-west London, was found guilty of false imprisonment and admitted carrying a knife. Isaac Bakoya, 18, of West Norwood, south London, admitted false imprisonment. Sineen, of Camberwell, south London, admitted dangerous driving. Gerson Borges, 24, of Camberwell, south London, and Mohamed Osman, 29, of Finsbury Park, north London, were found guilty of conspiracy to blackmail and false imprisonment. William Adebisi, 19, from Essex, was convicted of false imprisonment. They will all be sentenced next month. The jury could not agree a verdict on Yasir Mohamed's charges.