Ukrainian young man killed in Vienna due to the theft of his digital wallet
A 21-year-old Ukrainian man was found dead inside a burning car in the Donaustadt area of Vienna on November 26, after being targeted for his cryptocurrency digital wallet. Authorities revealed that the responsibility for the incident lies with two Ukrainians, one aged 19 and the other 45.
The 19-year-old young man tricked the victim into the parking garage of the SO/Vienna Hotel on Praterstraße, where a violent fight occurred. A hotel guest reported the incident, and the victim was then taken to Marlen-Haushofer-Weg, where he was beaten and forced to reveal the password to his digital wallet.
The police confirmed that large amounts of money were withdrawn from the victim's accounts, and a large sum of cash was found with one of the suspects. Forensic analyses showed that the cause of death was suffocation or thermal shock, and his body was burned over 80 percent. Residues of a melted gasoline container were also found inside the car.
Surveillance cameras documented the presence of the suspects in the hotel garage and while they were buying fuel in Donaustadt. The perpetrators fled to Ukraine on the same day and were arrested there. Austrian authorities agreed to transfer the entire case to the Ukrainian authorities, who are now conducting the investigation.
Ukrainian media reported that the victim may be the son of Kharkiv's deputy mayor, Sergei Kuzmin, and the mayor described the incident as a 'human tragedy for the family.'