Three men in Bristol, England, were sentenced after breaking into a man’s home and trying to force him to hand over a large amount of cryptocurrency, according to an Odaily report citing Decrypt. The attack took place in the early hours of May 15. The victim suffered a head injury and was taken to hospital, but the assailants failed to obtain the assets.
The three defendants — Terroll Paul, Mohamed Samagassi and Pierre Madzou — all admitted aggravated burglary. They were sentenced on Oct. 15 at Bristol Crown Court. Paul received a six-year prison term, Madzou was sentenced to five and a half years, and Samagassi received five years. Police said the victim’s underage sister called emergency services, and the three men were arrested at the scene shortly afterward.
Police did not disclose how much cryptocurrency the group demanded. Decrypt described the case as a “wrench attack,” a term used for incidents in which criminals use violence or threats to force crypto holders to surrender digital assets. CertiK data cited in the report showed such attacks caused $124 million in losses worldwide in the first six months of 2026, up 12-fold year over year.
Three men in Bristol, England, were sentenced after breaking into a man’s home in the early hours of May 15, assaulting him and demanding that he hand over a large amount of cryptocurrency, according to Odaily, which cited Decrypt. The attempt failed.
The victim suffered a head injury and was hospitalized. Police said the victim’s underage sister called for help, and the three men were later arrested at the scene.
Sentences handed down at Bristol Crown Court
Terroll Paul, Mohamed Samagassi and Pierre Madzou all admitted aggravated burglary and were sentenced on Oct. 15 at Bristol Crown Court.
- Paul was sentenced to 6 years in prison
- Madzou was sentenced to 5 and a half years
- Samagassi was sentenced to 5 years
Police did not disclose the amount of cryptocurrency the men demanded from the victim.
Case described as a wrench attack
Decrypt described the incident as a “wrench attack,” in which criminals use violence or threats to force cryptocurrency holders to surrender digital assets.
Data from blockchain security firm CertiK showed that worldwide losses from such attacks reached $124 million in the first six months of 2026, a 12-fold increase from a year earlier.
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