Scottish man who masterminded $2.7M crypto theft plot from prison sentenced to 8 years

November 11 — according to Decrypt, the High Court in Scotland has sentenced 29-year-old Robert Barr to 8 years in prison for masterminding a plot to steal up to £2 million (about $2.7 million) in crypto assets using illegal means of communication while serving time at a prison in Edinburgh. Under the plan, two accomplices would break into the home of a co-founder of a crypto startup in Midlothian and force him to install the remote-control software AnyDesk, after which Barr would remotely operate the computer and transfer the crypto assets to a wallet under his control. In April 2024, the pair were spotted by the victim via a doorbell camera when they showed up at the door, and the attempt failed. The two accomplices, Sean Favier and Iain Doyle, were sentenced to 4 and 5 years respectively.