The Sudden Rise of Crypto Hitmen and Bitcoin-for-Murder Plots

The Sudden Rise of Crypto Hitmen and Bitcoin-for-Murder Plots


2021 saw a spike in one very particular type of crime: paying crypto to take out a hit. Who are these would-be killers, and why do they think crypto makes them invisible to the eyes of the law?

This is the time of year when you learn all about the trends that supposedly made 2021. There was the GameStop-inspired, redditor-backed disruption of the stock market, a spike in popularity for all things mushroom and a cultural awakening around the female dirtbag. While it’s a bit more difficult to identify the “trendy” crimes of 2021, if you do take a gander back at the headlines, one clear through line does emerge: Bitcoin-for-murder plots.

It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about Beverly Hills or Tennessee — people all across this nation were WhatsApping with hitmen and offering them Bitcoin to kill their spouses and exes this year. In fact, in November alone, there were three different national news stories about crypto-contract killings. 

So let’s start there: At the beginning of the month, Annie Nicole Ritenour, 25, was busted by the FBI after she reportedly visited a site on what authorities love to call the “dark web.” Next, she offered $3,200 in Bitcoin to have a person she knew killed. The Virginia woman allegedly provided info for her target for assassination — including photos, the type of vehicle she drives, her daily routine and where she works. 

The FBI soon learned of the proposed contract killing, and according to acting special agent Neil Mathison, the FBI “moved quickly to ensure the safety of the intended victim and identified Ms. Ritenour as the person responsible for the threat.” Ritenour has since been arrested and charged with one count of murder-for-hire and a count of solicitation to commit a crime of violence. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison.