A Hong Kong man has been sentenced to seven years in a Canadian prison for participating in a violent home invasion that left a British Columbia family tortured and robbed of $1.6 million in Bitcoin.
Tsz Wing Boaz Chan, 35, flew from Hong Kong to Vancouver in early 2024 to take part in the meticulously planned attack, which authorities say involved extreme violence, sexual assault, and psychological torture over a 13.5-hour ordeal.
On the evening of April 27, 2024, four men, two dressed in Canada Post uniforms, gained entry to the Port Moody home of the targeted family. The attackers restrained the husband, wife, and young daughter, threatening their lives and forcing the daughter to simulate sexual assault while under duress, according to CBC reporting.
The intruders also waterboarded the wife in front of her husband and beat him naked, threatening further violence if he did not provide access to his cryptocurrency accounts.
Court documents describe the attackers’ demands escalating from 200 bitcoin — worth roughly $26 million at the time — to 100 bitcoin, ultimately withdrawing about $1.6 million.
They carried out the crime after weeks of surveillance and planning, including planting cameras outside the family’s home. The attackers communicated through a man using a disguised voice over the phone, coordinating the assault and issuing threats.
The daughter escaped at around 8 a.m. the following morning and alerted authorities, ending the ordeal. Police later linked Chan to the crime through CCTV footage and DNA, although he had returned to Hong Kong prior to identification. He was arrested when he came back to Canada months later.
The Bitcoin theft was ‘elaborately planned’
Judge Robin McQuillan called the crime “elaborately planned” and noted the profound emotional and financial consequences for the family. Victim impact statements highlighted the ongoing trauma: the daughter said she now feels unsafe at home, while the father described losing decades of savings intended to support his family and pay off multiple mortgages.
The family continues to struggle with the aftermath, including the psychological impact of nude videos and threats of social media exposure.
Chan, an out-of-work sailor and former waiter, reportedly received about $50,000 for his role in the heist and has been ordered to repay the amount. During sentencing, the judge observed that Chan was visibly distraught, noting his struggles with prison violence, back pain, and language barriers.
Accounting for time already served, he faces five more years in custody.
The attack is part of a broader trend known as “wrench attacks,” in which bitcoin and crypto holders and their families are targeted globally for ransom due to the irreversibility and high value of digital assets.