Missouri Man Pleads Guilty in Danbury Urus Carjacking

Saif Faiq, 22, of St. Louis pleaded guilty June 8 in Hartford federal court to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, a charge under the Hobbs Act. The plea stems from an August 2024 incident in Danbury, Connecticut that prosecutors say involved a carjacking, the abduction of two people and an attempt to force access to Bitcoin. Faiq faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 28.

Prosecutors allege the plot targeted relatives of a person tied to a separate theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin. Court filings say Faiq helped recruit participants, coordinated with his brother, Adam Iza, and conducted surveillance on the victims. Iza pleaded guilty June 1 to the same robbery conspiracy count; filings allege he used cellphone and encrypted messaging apps to communicate with some suspects, directed logistics and provided funding.

According to authorities, the Danbury incident began when two people were forced out of a Lamborghini Urus. Police later found the victims bound inside a van and intercepted the suspected kidnappers. In September 2024, six Florida residents were charged in connection with the carjacking and kidnapping; Justice Department releases in June 2026 indicate those individuals have since pleaded guilty.

Federal filings describe recruitment, travel logistics, surveillance and use of force aimed at securing access to digital assets through family members. Prosecutors said the kidnapped victims were the parents of an individual implicated in the earlier Bitcoin theft; filings do not allege the parents themselves had stolen cryptocurrency.

Security analysts use the term “wrench attack” for incidents in which attackers use physical coercion to force victims to reveal passwords, private keys or device access. One security firm reported 72 verified wrench attacks in 2025, a 75% increase from the prior year, and recorded 34 incidents from January through April 2026 with estimated losses near $101 million. That firm reported Europe accounted for most early-2026 incidents, with France registering the largest share.

Prosecutors highlighted how visible wealth signals and proximity to alleged holders, such as luxury vehicles or family connections, factored into target selection in the Danbury case. The plea documents emphasize the alleged effort to reach Bitcoin by pressuring relatives rather than by seizing assets directly.

Sentencing for Faiq on August 28 will determine his punishment for the admitted role in the conspiracy. Court filings continue to list cases that link suspected crypto holdings to relatives, homes and vehicles among matters under investigation by federal prosecutors.