Three Missouri Men Charged in Failed Bitcoin Kidnapping Plot Targeting Connecticut Family

Aug 5, 2026

Federal prosecutors have charged Missouri residents Sedric Louis, John Davis, and Martel Williams with Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy. The trio allegedly stalked the parents of Veer Chetal, who pleaded guilty to a $245 million Bitcoin theft, in an August 2024 plot to force a cryptocurrency transfer. Although the Missouri men abandoned the plan over security camera fears, a separate Florida crew later executed a violent carjacking and kidnapped Chetal's parents. Louis and Davis remain detained.

Missouri men conspiracy charges

▪The Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy charge against Sedric Louis, John Davis, and Martel Williams carries a maximum federal prison sentence of 20 years.
▪A federal grand jury in New Haven returned a second superseding indictment against Sedric Louis, John Davis, and Martel Williams on May 22, 2026.
▪Sedric Louis, John Davis, and Martel Williams, all of St. Louis, Missouri, were charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery under the Hobbs Act.

Failed Connecticut home invasion

▪The conspiracy charges against Sedric Louis, John Davis, and Martel Williams stem from an August 2024 plot to force a Connecticut man to transfer his Bitcoin holdings.
▪A separate crew of six Florida men carried out a violent carjacking and kidnapping of the target's parents in Danbury, Connecticut, on August 25, 2024.
▪The six Florida men arrested for the August 25, 2024 carjacking and kidnapping in Danbury, Connecticut, have all entered guilty pleas.

Veer Chetal Bitcoin theft

▪The intended target of the kidnapping plot was Veer Chetal, who pleaded guilty in 2025 to his role in a $245 million Bitcoin theft.
▪Federal prosecutors allege that the coordinators of the kidnapping scheme recruited Sedric Louis, John Davis, and Martel Williams to recover a portion of the stolen Bitcoin.

Surveillance of target family

▪Sedric Louis, John Davis, and Martel Williams abandoned the kidnapping plan and left Connecticut due to fears of home security cameras and internal dissension over risk sharing.
▪Sedric Louis, John Davis, and Martel Williams traveled from St. Louis to Connecticut between August 21 and August 24, 2024, to stalk Veer Chetal and his parents.
▪During their surveillance in Connecticut, Sedric Louis, John Davis, and Martel Williams rented vehicles, purchased walkie-talkies, and obtained air rifles.

Federal detention proceedings

▪Federal prosecutors filed motions to detain John Davis and Sedric Louis, citing their extensive criminal records and the escalating seriousness of their conduct.
▪Sedric Louis and John Davis have been detained since their arrests on June 25, 2026, and pleaded not guilty in Bridgeport federal court on July 30, 2026.
▪Martel Williams pleaded not guilty on July 17, 2026, and was released on bond.