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Bitcoin ransom demands $4 M for 84-year-old; fake note uncovered

8/1/2026

45 9 Full Breakdown

Summary

Authorities Expose Scam

Authorities released two ransom notes on February 2 and February 6 demanding $4 million in Bitcoin by February 5, or $6 million if paid by February 9, to locate Nancy Guthrie, 84, mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie.
A Los Angeles County man later admitted he fabricated the second note, which dated February 6 and claimed Nancy Guthrie died of a heart condition.
Authorities offered a reward exceeding $1.2 million for information.

Summary

Nanos Declares Inconclusive

Sheriff Chris Nanos said the forensic hair sample from Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson home was inconclusive.
He added he believes the kidnappers are likely local, though he lacks concrete evidence.
Blood and DNA from the scene failed to match after analysis by a Florida lab and the FBI crime lab in Quantico.
Sheriff Chris Nanos dismissed FBI Director Kash Patel’s criticism of delayed FBI involvement, citing long-standing cooperation with federal agents.

History

Historical Context

The 1973 kidnapping of John Paul Getty III in Rome sparked a high-profile ransom case that later inspired John Pearson’s book, Ridley Scott’s 2017 film *All the Money in the World* and the 2018 TV series *Trust*. That historic precedent of media-driven attention shapes the 2024 Nancy Guthrie Bitcoin-ransom investigation and related cyber-crime policy debates.

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Authorities Expose Scam

Authorities released two ransom notes on February 2 and February 6 demanding $4 million in Bitcoin by February 5, or $6 million if paid by February 9, to locate Nancy Guthrie, 84, mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie.
A Los Angeles County man later admitted he fabricated the second note, which dated February 6 and claimed Nancy Guthrie died of a heart condition.
Authorities offered a reward exceeding $1.2 million for information.

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