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Authorities Investigate New $4 Million Crypto Ransom Note

By Drooid · Sep 29, 2026, 2:53 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

FBI Investigates Ransom

U.S. authorities are investigating a possible new ransom note in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI Guthrie Task Force were alerted to the note and related social media comments.
A note dated Feb. 2 demanded $4 million in cryptocurrency.
A Feb. 6 note claimed Guthrie had died.
Surveillance video captured a masked man with a gun tampering with Guthrie’s front-porch camera on Jan. 31.

Summary

Savannah Guthrie Pleads

Lauren Serpa shared on Facebook a Bitcoin ransom demand claiming Nancy is alive in Mexico.
YouTuber Jonathan Lee Riche livestreamed on X, saying a friend of Guthrie was contacted about the demand.
Psychologist Gary Brucato said in August the two ransom notes likely came from different authors with distinct motives.
Savannah Guthrie used her Today show appearances to plead for her mother’s safe return and a proper goodbye.

History

Historical Context

In 2015 ISIS demanded a $1 million Bitcoin ransom (5 BTC) for journalist James Foley, the first high-profile hostage case to use cryptocurrency. The group, which had funded itself since 2007 through oil theft and kidnappings generating tens of millions, was expanding cyber operations such as website defacements and kill-list releases. The FBI’s tracing led U.S. agencies to adopt blockchain analytics against crypto extortion.

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FBI Investigates Ransom

U.S. authorities are investigating a possible new ransom note in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI Guthrie Task Force were alerted to the note and related social media comments.
A note dated Feb. 2 demanded $4 million in cryptocurrency.
A Feb. 6 note claimed Guthrie had died.
Surveillance video captured a masked man with a gun tampering with Guthrie’s front-porch camera on Jan. 31.

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