Cybercriminal Directed $2.6M Crypto Heist From Prison: Prosecutors

Plotting Behind Bars

A cybercriminal operating from inside a Scottish prison directed an organized crime gang in a series of home invasion attempts targeting millions of dollars in cryptocurrency, prosecutors said in court Sept. 23. Robert Barr faces a lengthy prison sentence after pleading guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh to involvement in serious organized crime between January and April 2024.

Prosecutors described Barr as the leader of a syndicate capable of orchestrating sophisticated cyber-theft rarely seen in mainstream criminal investigations. According to a report, Barr was serving sentences for fraud and illicit mobile phone possession at Edinburgh’s HMP Edinburgh, when he orchestrated a break-in at a home in January 2024. He later tried to arrange a second raid on the same property in April.

The target was an unnamed local cryptocurrency entrepreneur who co-founded a startup and had been investing in crypto since 2014. David Dickson, representing the prosecution, told the court that Barr believed the victim’s holdings were worth more than $2.6 million (£2 million), including $1.32 million in a self-created digital coin.

During the initial January break-in, intruders stole a physical cryptocurrency hardware wallet. However, the assets remained secure because the thieves lacked the PIN and recovery key phrase, Dickson said.