Crypto billionaire bit off kidnapper’s finger during ambush: Report

Australian crypto billionaire Tim Heath narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt in Estonia last year by biting off part of the attacker’s index finger, an Estonian court has heard

Heath, a long-time crypto investor, was attacked by two men posing as painters in the stairwell of his apartment building in July last year. There has been a growing number of crypto kidnappings in 2025, forcing executives to beef up security

One of the attackers, Azerbaijani national Allahverdi Allahverdiyev — a former boxer and wrestler — tried to silence Heath by placing a hand over his mouth, the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Wednesday, citing Estonian media outlet Eesti Ekspress

The assailants plotted to force Heath into a van, but Heath bit through the assailant’s index finger and managed to break free, seeking sanctuary in his apartment, an Estonian court heard

Heath reportedly lost a tooth in the 30-second struggle. The attackers fled shortly after, abandoning the van nearby. Part of the finger was later found in the street 100 meters away from the scene of the attack

Originally from Victoria, Australia, Heath founded the Estonian-based Yolo Group and its venture capital arm Yolo Investments, which invests heavily in fintech, crypto and igaming. The Australian Financial Review Rich List estimates Heath’s net worth at 2.46 billion Australian dollars ($1.61 billion)

Australian businessman Tim Heath is number 66 on the Australian Financial Review Rich List, with a fortune of $1.61 billion. Source: Australian Financial Review## Plot was months in the making

The group of seven kidnappers allegedly had been stalking Heath in the lead-up to the assault, both in person and using a GPS tracker on his vehicle, the Sydney Morning Herald reported

The group allegedly entered Estonia using forged Georgian passports and spent the days before the attack purchasing painters’ uniforms and other items from hardware stores so they could pose as workmen

It’s alleged that the plan was to transport Heath to a rented sauna house nearby and force him to transfer over his crypto holdings. A hacker was also allegedly recruited to assist

Tim Heath (right) during a 2023 address at the EGR Power 50 Summit. Source: Yolo GroupOther than Allahverdiyev, Georgian citizen Ilgar Mamedov has also been arrested. Both men are on trial in Estonia. Two others are wanted by police, including the alleged organizer, Najaf Najafli, while three have yet to be identified

The accused claims innocence

Allahverdiyev told the court he was promised 100,000 euros ($118,000) for the kidnapping but “only pretended to do something” and later told everyone involved to abort the plan, according to the Sydney Morning Herald

Prosecutors allege Mamedov was the getaway driver. However, he denies involvement and claims he came to Estonia by accident while traveling in the region and that any allegations he was involved are a “lie” and “a fabrication.”

Threat might still ongoing

Prosecutors also claim that a few weeks after the failed kidnapping plot, Heath received a message via Telegram with photos of his apartment and a demand for 30 Bitcoin (BTC) worth around $3.3 million at the time

Related: TikTok crypto trader freed after kidnappers realized he’s broke

When Heath didn’t respond, the kidnappers made no further attempts to contact him, but prosecutors argue the threat might be ongoing

Heath has reportedly spent more than $3.1 million on private security since the attack and moved homes. His legal team is seeking to have the costs of his new security reimbursed by the accused kidnappers

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