Missouri man pleads guilty in Bitcoin robbery and kidnapping scheme

A St. Louis man has admitted he signed up to help rob a family over stolen Bitcoin. He then walked away before anything happened, apparently because the target’s house had security cameras. Martel Williams, 27, pleaded guilty on October 26, 2026, to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. The case connects to one of the stranger crime stories of recent years, in which a massive Bitcoin theft set off a chain of violent attempts to grab the loot. A plan that never left the driveway The scheme Williams joined targeted the parents of a suspect in a major Bitcoin theft. The goal was a home invasion meant to recover approximately 4,100 Bitcoin. That stash was valued at around $245 million at the time. It had been stolen from a Genesis creditor in August 2024. Williams was part of a Missouri crew that also included Sedric Louis and John Davis. All three were charged in a May 2026 indictment. The trio never carried out the robbery. They abandoned the plan over worries about security cameras at the location. Backing out did not erase the legal exposure. Conspiracy charges cover the agreement to commit a crime, not just the crime itself, which is why Williams is pleading guilty to ...