On 19.05.2026 a buyer of digital assets was robbed in western Moscow, and ₽2 000 000 in cash was taken. Police report that the attack occurred on a parking lot near Kotsyubinskaya Street during a planned in-person exchange meeting.

Incident

According to the police, three assailants awaited the victim at the meeting location and carried out a coordinated attack upon his arrival. One of the attackers grabbed the victim’s neck and, while threatening with a pistol, demanded the money; a second assailant then seized the bag containing the cash before the group fled the scene.

Investigation and detentions

Law enforcement detained two suspects during subsequent operational measures, while a third participant remains wanted and is being actively sought. Searches of the detained individuals yielded part of the stolen funds and a pneumatic pistol that was allegedly used to threaten the victim during the robbery.

Charges

A criminal case has been opened under part 4 of article 162 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, covering robbery committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy with the use of a weapon. The maximum sanction under this provision is up to 15 years imprisonment.

Context and risks

Authorities note that cash-based offline transactions for cryptocurrency carry heightened physical risks, since meeting locations and cash amounts become known to counterparties in advance. Tracking and recovering stolen cash is substantially more difficult than tracing on-chain transfers, which complicates both prevention and post-incident response.