Four Young Foreigners Behind $250,000 USD Crypto Robbery in Phuket Hotel Arrested

Four Foreign Suspects Arrested in High-Profile Crypto Robbery

On 11 November 2024, four young foreign nationals were arrested for their alleged involvement in a robbery targeting a Ukrainian tourist.

The suspects were taken into custody by both Tourist Police and Kamala Police officers at the Palm Inn Hotel in Phang Nga’s Takua Thung district, a quiet corner of Thailand's southern coast.

The four foreigner nationals that were arrested for robbering

The robbery, which occurred on 8 November, saw the victim, 23-year-old Viacheslav Leibov, coerced into transferring 250,000 USD (approximately 8.56 million baht) in Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency.

A Trap Set in Phuket

Viacheslav was invited by his acquaintance, 18-year-old Ukrainian Alfred Chernyshuk, to meet at a hotel room late on the evening of 8 November.

Upon arriving, he was greeted by another suspect, 21-year-old Armenian Arman Grigoryan, who led him to the room.

The situation quickly turned from friendly to terrifying.

While Viacheslav stepped away to use the bathroom, two men, their faces concealed with black cloths, ambushed him.

The two attackers restrained him using ropes and cable ties.

One assailant grabbed Viacheslav in a chokehold, while the other held a sharp-edged weapon.

The two masked men stood guard, ensuring he couldn't escape.

The hotel room where the incident happened.

A Threat With a Hammer and a Knife

The fear was palpable as Viacheslav was ordered to comply with the robbers’ demands.

Arman, wielding a hammer, threatened to break his fingers unless he transferred a vast sum of cryptocurrency.

The situation was dire, and Viacheslav, fearing for his safety, agreed to the demand.

Initially, the attackers asked for 500,000 USD in Tether (USDT), but after some negotiation, the amount was reduced to 250,000 USD.

Escape, Persistence, and Reporting the Crime

After the perpetrators confirmed the transfer had been made, they tied Viacheslav to the bed and threatened him with further harm if he dared report the incident.

They then emptied the hotel room of its contents before fleeing the scene.

Once the criminals had left, Viacheslav managed to free himself within minutes.

His first instinct was to gather evidence.

He rushed to the hotel’s reception and took photos of the passports registered for the room, where he found that the room was registered under Arman and Alfred’s names.

Acting quickly, he urged the staff not to clean the room to preserve potential evidence.

Determined to track down the criminals, Viacheslav rushed to Phuket airport on his motorcycle, hoping to catch the suspects before they could flee the area.

Unfortunately, his search proved fruitless, and he returned to his home in Rawai, realising the danger he had put himself in.

He ultimately decided to report the incident to Kamala Police Station.

Why Was Viacheslav Targeted?

Police investigations revealed that one of the suspects had been a regular buyer of USDT cryptocurrency from Viacheslav.

This connection likely made the victim a target, with the criminals aware of his large holdings.

The robbers knew exactly how to exploit the situation, planning their attack and forcing Viacheslav into a position where he had no choice but to comply.

Hotel Owner's Confusion

The hotel owner where the incident occurred revealed a disturbing detail to local media.

He had witnessed Viacheslav being tied up by the masked men but thought nothing of it at the time.

He thought it was all part of a staged YouTube video, as he didn’t hear any sounds of struggle or distress.

It wasn’t until later that the gravity of the situation became clear.

The Arrest and Charges

The four suspects were apprehended at 1am on 11 November at the Palm Inn Hotel.

They were identified as Arman Grigoryan (21, Armenia), Alfred Chernyshuk (18, Ukraine), Ruslan Musalev (22, Ukraine), and Miraz Atoian (21, Russia).

All four were charged with armed robbery, unlawful detention, and coercion under a warrant issued by Phuket Provincial Court.