A trader was forced to hand over hundreds of thousands of pounds-worth of cryptocurrency after allegedly being kidnapped, robbed and blackmailed, a jury has heard. Seven men are on trial accused of a series of offences against the alleged victim.
“They were threatening, and they were going to do me in.” He said the man left after he agreed to send cryptocurrency worth £150,000. The complainant said that days later a number of men banged on the door of his home and demanded money. He said a number of men demanded money, but he said he didn’t have any to give. The man said he was ‘tied up’ with his hands behind his back, and detained ‘through the night’ while arrangements were made to transfer money.
The complainant said he was punched and kicked and kept in a property for ‘a few nights’ until funds were transferred. He said about £125,000 worth of currency was later sent. He said he was taken to a bedroom where demands for money were made. The complainant said he was punched and suffered broken ribs after being kicked.
Mr Povey, of Dalebeck Close, Whitefield, Bury, and Mr Edwards, of Cumberland Avenue, Cadishead, Salford, both deny one count of robbery, one count of kidnap, one count of false imprisonment and one count of blackmail.