Dean Skurka, CEO of the cryptocurrency company WonderFi, was kidnapped and forced to pay a $1 million ransom before being released.
WonderFi CEO Kidnapped
According to a report from CBC on November 7, the CEO of the Toronto-based cryptocurrency company WonderFi Technologies, Dean Skurka, was kidnapped and forced to pay a $1 million ransom to secure his release.
Skurka was "coerced" into a vehicle in downtown Toronto during rush hour on November 6 and made an electronic transfer of $1 million to ensure his safety, according to sources close to the investigation.
Skurka confirmed via email that he was involved in an "incident" on November 6, but is now safe and the company's assets and data were not affected.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and provided no further details. Skurka and WonderFi have not made any public comments about the incident on X or their official website.
Skurka's case further raises concerns about the trend of kidnapping leaders and influential figures in the cryptocurrency industry, often with the aim of extorting large sums of money.
Previously, four suspects were arrested in July for allegedly kidnapping and killing a 29-year-old foreign Bitcoiner in Kyiv, Ukraine, and stealing $170,000 worth of Bitcoin. Six Malaysians were also charged with kidnapping a Chinese national and demanding a $1 million Tether ransom in August.
About WonderFi
WonderFi, backed by renowned investor Kevin O'Leary, is one of the largest publicly-listed cryptocurrency companies in Canada, with the stock ticker WNDR on the Toronto Stock Exchange. According to data from Google Finance, the company has a market capitalization of $75 million.
The company's two most popular products are the WonderFi blockchain layer 2 and the non-custodial WonderFi Wallet.
WonderFi has disclosed that they hold $1.35 billion in assets in a statement on October 30.
WonderFi also owns the cryptocurrency companies Coinsquare, SmartPay, Tetra Trust, and Bitbuy, where Skurka previously held the position of Chairman from January 2018 to July 2023.
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The article WonderFi CEO Kidnapped and Forced to Pay $1 Million Ransom first appeared on CoinMoi.
