A Hong Kong man, Tsz Wing Boaz Chan, 35, has been handed a seven-year prison sentence in Canada for his role in a meticulously planned and brutal home invasion. The violent attack targeted a British Columbia family, who were tortured and robbed of approximately $1.6 million in Bitcoin.

Chan traveled from Hong Kong to Vancouver in early 2024 to participate in the assault. Authorities detailed the harrowing 13.5-hour ordeal, which involved extreme violence, sexual assault, and psychological torture. On the evening of April 27, 2024, four assailants, two disguised in Canada Post uniforms, gained entry to the family's Port Moody residence. Inside, they restrained the husband, wife, and their young daughter, subjecting them to horrific threats and abuse.

According to CBC reporting and court documents, the attackers forced the daughter to simulate sexual assault under duress and waterboarded the wife in front of her husband. The husband was also beaten naked, with perpetrators threatening further violence if he did not grant access to his cryptocurrency accounts. Initially demanding 200 Bitcoin, then 100 Bitcoin (worth roughly $26 million at the time), the criminals ultimately withdrew about $1.6 million in digital assets.

The crime was the culmination of weeks of elaborate planning and surveillance, including planting cameras outside the family's home. The attackers maintained communication via a man using a disguised voice over the phone, who coordinated the assault and issued threats throughout the ordeal. The nightmare concluded when the daughter managed to escape at approximately 8 a.m. the following morning and alert authorities.

Chan was later linked to the crime through CCTV footage and DNA evidence, despite having returned to Hong Kong. He was subsequently arrested upon his return to Canada months later. Judge Robin McQuillan characterized the crime as “elaborately planned,” highlighting the profound emotional and financial devastation inflicted upon the family. Victim impact statements revealed the lasting trauma, with the daughter expressing a persistent feeling of unsafety at home, and the father lamenting the loss of decades of savings crucial for his family's support and mortgage payments. The family also grapples with the psychological impact of nude videos and threats of social media exposure.

An out-of-work sailor and former waiter, Chan reportedly received around $50,000 for his involvement in the heist and has been ordered to repay this sum. During sentencing, the judge noted Chan's visible distress, acknowledging his struggles with prison violence, back pain, and language barriers. Accounting for time already served, Chan faces an additional five years in custody.

This case underscores a growing global phenomenon known as “wrench attacks,” where Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency holders, along with their families, are targeted for ransom. These attacks exploit the high value and irreversible nature of digital assets, making victims particularly vulnerable to such violent extortion schemes.