A recognizable entrepreneur, businessman and crypto investor recently evaded a daring kidnapping attempt in Estonia.
Bail Denied for Suspected Kidnapper
The criminal case involves Tim Heath, the founder of Yolo Group and investor in gaming, fintech and crypto verticals. Although details regarding the attack emerged last week, the kidnapping attempt itself dates back to July. As reported by Eesti Ekspress, an investigative news outlet, Heath was targeted by a group of foreign nationals while he was at his home in Tallinn.
As the matter has just become public, details remain scarce. What’s known so far is that the incident was acknowledged in court recently during a bail hearing for one of the suspected attackers. The suspect, a citizen of Georgia, is identified with the initials I.M.
Although the kidnapping attempt was completed on July 29, the suspect in question was extradited from Lithuania to Estonia in September. Since his extradition, I.M. has remained in detention. During the recent hearing, the suspected attacker rejected the claims he was a part of the plan to kidnap Heath.
What’s interesting in the case is that the suspect was arrested after his passport was found in a rental van that was allegedly used by the group. In his defense, the suspect claimed that he wasn’t aware of any kidnapping plot and remembered that he found a group of men who suggested helping him reach Poland. This likely didn’t convince the court as the man wasn’t granted bail.
An Unsuccessful Kidnapping Attempt
It is currently unclear what was the exact number of the attackers. The kidnapping saw several culprits plan the attack on Heath’s residence. The plan of the kidnapping likely took months based on preliminary information. Yolo Group’s founder’s car was found to have a GPS device installed without his knowledge. The culprits likely also monitored Heath’s residence and daily activities before the attack.
On July 29, the attackers entered the entrepreneur’s apartment building dressed as handymen. Their intention was to kidnap him for ransom. Despite the brazen attack that saw several culprits jump the executive and hit him, Heath was able to somehow fight off the intruders. The failed kidnapping attempt saw the culprits escape with a rental van.
During the investigation, law enforcement uncovered the van that was likely used by the suspects who raided Heath’s home. They also tracked the suspects’ moves to various locations, including a hardware store where they purchased tools and a villa where they planned to take him after the kidnapping.
The attempted kidnapping happened days before the opening of Heath’s newest luxury hotel and casino venue called the Bombay Club. The estimated cost of the luxury property is the mind-blowing $100 million, and it is in fact not far away from the executive’s private residence in Tallinn.
Media reports speculate that Heath isn’t currently located in Estonia. Police suspect that all of the attackers are foreign nationals.