Two SLO County Teens Arrested in Arizona in Cryptocurrency Extortion Scheme
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) - Two teens from San Luis Obispo were arrested in Arizona last week in connection with an online extortion scheme in pursuit of cryptocurrency..
Their crime is a twisted cautionary tale of online extortion involving cryptocurrency.
One of the teens lives in San Luis Obispo and attended SLO High School, while the other lived in Morro Bay.
The teens told Arizona authorities after their arrest that the two had only just met.
A resident of the Arizona neighborhood where the incident took place last Saturday, Ari Parker, provided our affiliates with Ring Camera footage of the vehicle the boys were driving, though he didn’t think much of it at the moment he saw them.
Just down the street from Parker in the Scottsdale neighborhood, SLO county teens Jackson Sullivan and Skylar Lapeille, both disguised as delivery drivers, forced their way into the home of Parker’s neighbor.
Aggressively and violently restraining two adults, the teens demanded a figure of $66 million in cryptocurrency.
A third resident managed to call local police, who arrived to the active home invasion. The teens fled and, after a pursuit, hit a dead end and were arrested.
Once in custody, the teens told Arizona authorities they had only just met as a result of an online extortion scheme via the app known as “Signal.”
Unidentified characters known as “Red” and “8” allegedly sent Sullivan and Lapeille to Arizona with funds to purchase supplies needed for the home invasion.
The goal was to seize the alleged $66 million, and when the victim denied possession of the money, the situation escalated.
Officials at San Luis Obispo High School have confirmed that Jackson Sullivan had been a student there.
The teens are being held in Arizona to be tried as adults on a total of 9 felony charges including kidnapping, second-degree burglary, criminal impersonation, disorderly conduct, and felony flight.
The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With The Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.
