Kharkiv Deputy Mayor's Son Murdered in Vienna Over Cryptocurrency Assets
Date: 2025-12-04 Author: Oliver Abernathy Categories: IN WORLD
A brutal crime that sparked widespread public outcry occurred in the Austrian capital in late November. 21-year-old Daniil Kuzmin, the son of Sergey Kuzmin, Kharkiv Deputy Mayor for Digital Development, was murdered in Vienna. According to the investigation, the motive for the crime was extortion of cryptocurrency assets.
The young man's body was discovered on November 25 in the Donaustadt district. The burned-out Mercedes S 350D in which the victim was traveling attracted the attention of emergency services. An autopsy revealed that there were no traces of soot in the victim's lungs, indicating that he died before the fire. The investigation found that Daniil had been brutally tortured before the arson.
According to media reports, the tragedy began with a dispute in the underground parking lot of the Sofitel "SO/Vienna" hotel. Kuzmin and a 19-year-old acquaintance, a former classmate, had an argument. A second assailant, a 45-year-old man, soon joined him. Together, they forced the victim into a car and held him for approximately four hours.
During this time, the attackers beat the young man and demanded that he hand over access rights to his cryptocurrency wallets. According to OE24, Daniil's teeth were knocked out and he suffered multiple blows to the head with a blunt object. Under pressure, he transferred digital assets to the attackers' accounts. After this, the victim and his car were doused with gasoline and set on fire.
The day after the murder, the suspects left the European Union and headed for Ukraine, crossing the border on November 26. Three days later, they were detained in Odesa by members of the KORD special forces unit. During the search, a significant amount of US dollar cash was discovered, presumably related to the stolen funds.
The Kyiv District Court of Odesa ordered the detainees to be remanded in custody for 40 days. However, official sources have not yet confirmed the suspects' possible extradition to Austria. The court documents do not directly name the deceased, but the circumstances are entirely consistent with those of the Kuzmin case.
Investigators are classifying the crime as a so-called wrench attack—a form of violent pressure aimed at acquiring crypto assets. Such attacks are increasingly becoming a tool of criminals targeting digital asset owners. According to previously published data from Europol, the number of such crimes in Europe has increased significantly in recent years.
The investigation is ongoing, and the case has already become one of the most high-profile examples of how the anonymity of cryptocurrencies can pose a mortal threat to their owners.
