Alexander Altunbashev is a Bulgarian crypto trader and entrepreneur. His whereabouts are still unknown as of Monday. His possible kidnapping is being investigated by law enforcement authorities. Some in the local crypto-community speculate that he could be hiding away from angry investors.
Bulgarian Authorities investigate Possible Kidnapping Of An Alleged Crypto Millionaire
Bulgarian police are searching for a missing businessman. According to media reports Alexander Altunbashev, a 32-year old IT specialist and entrepreneur, earned his money through crypto trading.
As the primary suspect in Alexander’s disappearance, Sofia police are investigating his kidnapping. Quoting sources from the investigation, Nova TV reported that Alexander’s sister, Teodora, spoke with him before he left for Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second-largest city.
On Monday morning, Teodora gave him a ride to Sofia’s Mladost district. Later that day, she saw a man unlocking and entering her brother’s home, right next door to her own apartment. When she asked him who he was and what he was doing, he left telling her only he was “in a hurry” and getting in an SUV driven by a woman.
Investigators found Alexander’s apartment turned upside down. It is believed that the perpetrators were trying to get access to Alexander’s cryptocurrency wallets or bank accounts. The last time Teodora managed to reach him over the phone, Alexander told her he was traveling towards Burgas, on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.
Alexander’s atypical behavior and her failed attempts to talk to him again when his phone was switched off convinced Teodora to call the police. Investigators have also interrogated the crypto trader’s girlfriend, Kristina, who didn’t know of any threats against him or issues with his business relations.
Altunbashev may be hiding from clients, Crypto Community suspects
The missing IT expert’s cellphone was last used from a location just outside Sofia. The last person to speak with him was Ivaylo Borisov, a person with a criminal record known by his alias ‘Torino,’ who is a close friend of Alexander. The two were supposed to meet at noon on Monday but the crypto trader didn’t show up. Borisov will be working with the law enforcement officials.
Meanwhile, speculations have emerged in the country’s crypto community that Alexander Altunbashev may have actually decided to go into hiding as he was probably investing funds for clients that may have been lost. “If he was indeed managing money for others, and you wake up one morning and the money has turned to zero — maybe there is a conflict with the people that are looking for their money,” commented Vladislav Dramaliev, director of Bithope Foundation, quoted by bTV.
The case follows the recent crypto market slump that led to major coins like bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) losing half of their value since last year’s all-time highs and the collapse of crypto projects. According to unconfirmed reports by other Bulgarian publications, Altunbashev made over €6 million (almost $6.5 million) in 2021 and allegedly boasted to friends about expensive real estate purchases in Greece and Dubai. According to his Facebook profile, he also visited exotic places.
Are you confident that the authorities of Bulgaria will be able to find the crypto trader missing? Leave your comments below.
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