In a dramatic incident unfolding in Phuket, police have arrested four foreign nationals—two Ukrainians, one Armenian, and one Russian—accused of robbing a Ukrainian tourist of Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency valued at 8.5 million baht. The suspects were detained at 1 a.m. on Monday at the Palm Inn Hotel in Phang Nga’s Takua Pa district. The arrests followed a complaint filed by the victim, 23-year-old Viacheslav Leibov, with Kamala police station on Sunday.
The suspects have been identified as Arman Grigoryan, 21, an Armenian national; Ukrainians Alfred Chernyshuk, 19, and Ruslan Musalev, 22; and Russian Miraz Atoian, 21. They are facing charges of robbery with weapons and unlawful detention.
A Frightening Ordeal
According to Leibov, he was invited by Chernyshuk to a hotel room in Phuket at 10:45 p.m. on Friday night, where Grigoryan was also present. Upon entering the room, Leibov went to use the toilet and was then overpowered by two masked men who were hiding inside. The attackers tied his arms and legs with ropes and cable ties. During the incident, Grigoryan allegedly threatened to break Leibov’s finger with a hammer unless he transferred digital currency worth half a million US dollars to the group. One of the masked men was wielding a long knife, further heightening the tension, Leibov reported.
Under duress, Leibov managed to negotiate the ransom down to half the demanded amount. He subsequently transferred 8.5 million baht in cryptocurrency. The robbers then tied him to the bed before packing up their belongings and leaving the hotel room.
Escaping and Seeking Justice
Leibov told the police that he managed to free himself after the ordeal. He verified with the hotel that Chernyshuk and Grigoryan had rented the room. In a desperate attempt to catch the suspects, he rushed to Phuket airport on his motorcycle but was unable to locate them. He then proceeded to file a formal complaint on Sunday.
Investigators revealed that one of the suspects was a regular buyer of USDT from Leibov and allegedly targeted him due to his large cryptocurrency holdings.
An Unusual Witness Account
In a surprising twist, the hotel owner told One 31 TV station that he saw masked men tying up Leibov but assumed it was a YouTube filming session, as he heard no sounds of struggle.
Phuket police are continuing their investigation to uncover any further details surrounding this high-stakes robbery.
