Delivery ruse forced $6.5M crypto transfers in California
Men posing as delivery workers allegedly forced victims at gunpoint to log into accounts and transfer about $6.5 million during multiple California home invasions.
Three men are charged in a federal indictment after prosecutors allege they forced homeowners at gunpoint to log into cryptocurrency accounts and transfer roughly $6.5 million during a series of California home invasions.
The Department of Justice says Elijah Armstrong, Nino Chindavanh and Jayden Rucker posed as pizza, package and coffee delivery workers to gain entry to residences before forcing their way inside. Authorities allege the suspects traveled from Tennessee to target owners of digital assets in San Francisco, San Jose, Sunnyvale and Los Angeles.
Prosecutors describe incidents in which the men displayed firearms, used duct tape and zip ties to restrain victims, and compelled at least one victim to sign into cryptocurrency accounts so a co-conspirator could move about $6.5 million to a wallet controlled by the group. The indictment alleges multiple assaults, restraints and attempted robberies at other homes.
Chindavanh was arrested in Sunnyvale on Dec. 22, 2025. Armstrong and Rucker were taken into custody in Los Angeles on Dec. 31, 2025. Chindavanh appeared in federal court in San Francisco on April 14, 2026. Armstrong and Rucker made initial appearances on May 11, 2026, and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas S. Hixson on May 12 for appointment of counsel. Chindavanh is scheduled for a status hearing on June 26 before U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson.
The indictment lists charges including conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, attempted Hobbs Act robbery and attempted kidnapping. The Hobbs Act robbery and attempted kidnapping counts each carry maximum penalties of 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. The conspiracy to commit kidnapping count carries a possible life sentence and the same maximum fine.
In a Department of Justice statement, U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian described the scheme as ‘sophisticated, brazen, violent, and dangerous’ and added that the defendants ‘terrorized their victims in the hopes of stealing vast sums of cryptocurrency.’
The Hobbs Act makes it a federal crime to obstruct, delay or affect commerce by robbery or extortion. Federal prosecutors commonly use the statute in violent robberies that cross state lines or affect interstate commerce.
An indictment is an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
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