A kidnapping case in the United States has seen Bitcoin ransom emails demanding amounts as high as several million dollars

In the investigation of the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, on the "TODAY" show, a ransom email demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin has emerged. The gossip news site TMZ reported receiving this ransom email, which included a Bitcoin address, a deadline, and threatening content.

Nancy Guthrie went missing from her home in Arizona on January 31, and the police are treating the case as a "possible kidnapping." In recent years, the use of cryptocurrency in kidnapping and ransom cases has been on the rise, with a record 72 violent wrench attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders globally in 2025, a 75% increase from 2024.