Russian Court: Theft Of 100 BTC Isn’t A Crime Because Bitcoin Isn’t Property

Cointelegraph

Published Jul 01, 2020 05:50PM ET

Updated Jul 01, 2020 07:40PM ET

On June 30, a Russian criminal court denied a motion to provide restitution to a victim of what would in many jurisdictions be a felony, arguing that Bitcoin (BTC), as a virtual currency, does not enjoy the same property protection as other assets.

The case goes back to 2018, when the two men impersonating Federal Security Service (FSB) agents and their accomplices kidnapped the victim and forced him into giving them 5 million rubles or $90,000 in cash and 99.7 BTC — worth about $900,000 at the time. The kidnappers were sentenced to eight- and ten-year prison sentences.

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