Quick Breakdown:
- San Francisco tech investor Lachy Groom’s home was invaded by a man posing as a delivery courier.
- The intruder tied up the victim, tortured him, and stole $11 million worth of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.
- The incident highlights the increasing risk of violent cryptocurrency thefts in tech hubs.
Deceptive heist at San Francisco home
According to The New York Post, a man disguised as a delivery worker rang the doorbell of a $4.4 million residence on Dorland Street in San Francisco’s Mission District, home to venture capitalist Lachy Groom, the former boyfriend of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Using a ruse involving a white package and a request for a signature, the attacker gained entry. Once inside, the suspect brandished a firearm, restrained Groom with duct tape, and assaulted him while demanding access to his crypto wallets.
Robber posing as a delivery driver steals $11,000,000 in crypto after pulling a gun and duct-taping the victim in San Francisco pic.twitter.com/Jny8HfVvGC
— BAY AREA STATE OF MIND (@YayAreaNews) November 24, 2025
$11 Million crypto theft
Over the course of about 90 minutes, the attacker emptied Groom’s cryptocurrency wallets, making off with $11 million in Bitcoin and Ethereum. They took Groom’s laptop and phone to fully access his accounts. Law enforcement believes this was the work of an organized crime group, given how carefully planned and large-scale the theft was. Groom was found tied up with minor injuries when the police arrived.
This incident underlines a growing trend of violent, targeted crypto thefts in wealthy tech communities, raising concerns for crypto holders and security experts. It also exposes vulnerabilities in digital asset protection despite technological advances.
In a separate development, the arrest of Trent Merrin, a former Australian rugby league player turned “digital asset entrepreneur”, shows how Australia is cracking down harder on crypto-related fraud. Merrin is accused of illegally accessing someone’s digital wallet and stealing AUD $140,000 worth of cryptocurrency. Police have seized electronic devices to investigate the case further. This incident highlights the government’s growing push to tackle digital asset crime, backed by tougher oversight from AUSTRAC and by upcoming laws imposing stricter licensing rules on crypto platforms.
If you would like to read more articles like this, visit DeFi Planet and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and CoinMarketCap Community.
Take control of your crypto portfolio with MARKETS PRO, DeFi Planet’s suite of analytics tools.”
