‘Bitcoin Family’ revamps security after crypto crime wave

Didi Taihuttu, patriarch of the so-called “Bitcoin Family,” has overhauled his digital asset security setup following a wave of violent attacks targeting crypto holders. 

The family, known for going all-in on Bitcoin in 2017, now hides portions of their private keys across four continents. In a CNBC interview, Taihuttu said he now uses a hybrid approach instead of relying solely on hardware wallets. 

Taihuttu told CNBC that the family has changed everything. “Even if someone held me at gunpoint, I can’t give them more than what’s on my wallet or my phone. And that’s not a lot,” he said. 

The security overhaul comes amid a wave of criminal activity, including kidnappings and extortion attempts aimed at crypto users. Taihuttu said the threats forced them to rethink their security strategy.

Keys split, encrypted and stored globally

The family’s seed phrase is encrypted and split into four parts. Taihuttu said it’s stored using blockchain-based services and fireproof metal plates etched by hand. The plates are then hidden in physical locations worldwide, allowing the family to eliminate potential points of failure in their security system. 

Taihuttu added a layer of personal encryption to further strengthen the setup by modifying some words in the seed phrase, making them unusable without the proper context. 

The family lives a nomadic lifestyle, travelling globally to promote Bitcoin. Because of the increasing threat to crypto holders, Taihuttu said the family no longer posts real-time updates about their location online after receiving threats from individuals who tracked them using social media. 

Taihuttu said about 65% of the family’s assets are now held in cold storage under their new security model. Their hot wallets for trading and expenses are protected through multisignature protocols. 

Crypto-linked crimes spike as digital assets surge

As digital asset prices rise, so have incidents of crypto-related crime. In late 2024 and early 2025, high-profile cases emerged in France, Pakistan, Australia and Canada, linking violent crimes to crypto ownership.

In January, gang members in the United Kingdom were convicted of kidnapping, torturing and extorting a crypto investor. In February, six men kidnapped a family of three in Chicago, demanding the transfer of $15 million in crypto. 

In March, streamer Kaitlyn Siragusa, known as “Amouranth” online, became a victim of a home invasion, where the perpetrators held her at gunpoint, demanding the transfer of crypto assets. In May, South Korean police arrested a Russian national after a failed $730,000 crypto robbery. 

On May 13, three masked men attempted to kidnap the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, the co-founder and CEO of French crypto exchange Paymium. The suspects attacked Noizat’s daughter and a male partner while she was walking with her son in Paris. 

The male partner was assaulted while Noizat’s daughter resisted, taking one of the guns from the assailants. People passing by eventually intervened, forcing the attackers to flee the scene.