Doctor Pleads Guilty for Using BTC To Pay For Girlfriend’s Murder

James Wan, a US-based medical doctor, has pleaded guilty in a murder-for-hire case where he used Bitcoin to pay a hitman to murder his girlfriend. According to the U.S. Attorney, the plot was uncovered before anyone was killed or injured.

In a recent post by Colin Wu, a famous crypto reporter, the 54-year-old medical doctor transferred $8,000 worth of Bitcoin three times, once to the wrong address, to a killer he met on the dark web. Wan transferred an extra $1,200 in Bitcoin due to dropping prices before the FBI found out, protected his girlfriend, and arrested him.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Georgia published a press release praising the effort of the FBI in clamping down on the murder attempt. The FBI reiterated its resolve to not tolerate heinous acts of violence and will go to great lengths to protect citizens of the United States. Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, noted that Wan will face the full consequences of the criminal justice system.

The judge explained that Wan accessed a dark web marketplace from his cellular telephone and submitted an order to have a hitman murder his girlfriend. Details submitted by Wan included his girlfriend’s name, address, Facebook account, license plate, and car description.

Moreover, the details included in the order were instructions on how to execute the job. Wan said: “Can take wallet, phone, and car. Shoot and go. Or take car.”

According to the press release, Wan pleaded guilty to one count of using a facility of interstate commerce in the commission of murder-for-hire. Wan’s sentencing is scheduled for January 18, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Leigh Martin May.