Norwegian Kidnappers Demand Ransom In Monero
January 10, 2019 12:20 AM
It is unclear whether Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen is still alive.
The wife of an affluent Norwegian businessman has been kidnapped, and the kidnappers have demanded a ransom be paid in cryptocurrency, according to a January 9 article in Norway’s VG newspaper.
Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen, the wife of multimillionaire real estate mogul Tom Hagen, has been missing since October 31, 2018. That night, Mr. Hagen says he came home to find a ransom note threatening that his wife would be killed if the police or media were notified. It demanded a ransom of 9 million euros ($10.3 million) worth of Monero tokens be paid for her return. Norwegian police have urged Falkevik Hagen’s family to not pay the ransom because transactions made in Monero usually cannot be traced.
According to The New York Times, those behind the alleged kidnapping have sporadically communicated with the family through an undisclosed digital platform, although the perpetrators have given no indication as to whether Falkevik Hagen is still alive.
The investigation is still ongoing, and Europol and Interpol have both joined the search for the 68-year-old.
Nathan Graham is a full-time staff writer for ETHNews. He lives in Sparks, Nevada, with his wife, Beth, and dog, Kyia. Nathan has a passion for new technology, grant writing, and short stories. He spends his time rafting the American River, playing video games, and writing.
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