Flagship NBC anchor’s elderly mother missing after kidnappers threaten “Send Bitcoin”
Flagship NBC anchor’s elderly mother missing after kidnappers threaten “Send Bitcoin”
Amid the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of NBC’s flagship anchor Savannah Guthrie, the demand for millions of dollars’ worth of Bitcoin (BTC) as ransom has sent shockwaves across the United States.
According to cryptocurrency outlet NewsBTC on February 7 (local time), Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her home in Tucson, Arizona, prompting the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to launch an emergency investigation. Nancy Guthrie has been missing since she was last seen by family on the evening of January 31, and investigators found blood confirmed to be hers at the entrance of the home along with signs that security cameras had been forcibly removed.
The case is escalating beyond a simple disappearance after reports emerged that the perpetrator demanded a ransom worth millions of dollars in Bitcoin, pointing to a premeditated kidnapping. Media outlets reported that an extortion letter specifying a particular wallet address and a transfer deadline was sent, while authorities are carefully examining the authenticity of the letter. Notably, because there has been no direct contact with the family, investigators are keeping all possibilities open as to whether the sender is the actual kidnapper or a third party exploiting the chaos.
During the investigation, a California man named Derrick Callella was arrested on charges of attempting fraud by sending fake Bitcoin ransom demands to the family. Callella was found to have no direct connection to the kidnapping itself and is believed to have attempted a typical cryptocurrency extortion targeting a famous family. Investigators warn that such copycat crimes can hinder the core investigation and are closely tracing the flow of funds linked to relevant Bitcoin wallet addresses.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed deep concern over the incident and pledged to deploy all federal resources to support the investigation. Savannah Guthrie has suspended all broadcasting activities, appealing for her mother’s safe return and strongly urging the perpetrator to present proof of life. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office has announced a $50,000 reward for decisive information regarding Nancy Guthrie’s whereabouts and continues extensive search efforts.
Authorities are currently focusing on real-time transaction tracking based on Bitcoin wallet addresses, along with analyzing CCTV footage from the area surrounding the crime scene. Experts say that as crimes demanding cryptocurrency increase, investigative techniques are also becoming more sophisticated, and tensions in the market are likely to persist until the case is resolved. The family and investigators are exerting every effort to find even the smallest clue, deeply concerned about the health of the elderly Nancy Guthrie.
*Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference only, and no responsibility is taken for investment losses incurred based on it. The content should be interpreted solely for informational purposes.*
<저작권자 ⓒ 코인리더스 무단전재 및 재배포 금지>
|
  많이 본 기사
English 많이 본 기사
|
