Crypto Investor Drugged and Robbed by Fake Uber Driver: A Shocking Tale of Loss!

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Crypto Investor Drugged and Robbed in Fake Uber: ‘They Took the Majority of My Wealth’

In simpler terms, a fraudulent Uber driver kidnapped and drugged an American cryptocurrency investor, tricked him into giving access to his phone, and then emptied his digital assets. Afterward, he left the investor injured.

Fake Uber Driver Drugged American Tourist and Stole Majority of His Crypto Portfolio

In a stark warning about the potential risks associated with cryptocurrency investment, Jacob Irwin-Cline, a tourist from Portland, Oregon, has shared his harrowing tale. He claims he was drugged, kidnapped in London, and left injured after mistaking a car for an Uber. Shockingly, upon regaining consciousness, he found that the bulk of his cryptocurrency holdings had mysteriously disappeared.

The ordeal began after a night out on May 9 at The Roxy in Soho, when Irwin-Cline ordered an Uber at around 1:30 a.m. As he stepped outside the bar, a man in a dark sedan called out his Uber alias and appeared to match the photo on the app. “The guy seemed super chill, super nice,” Irwin-Cline told Mylondon. The driver offered him a cigarette. “I said I stopped smoking, but he said, ‘Oh c’mon’. I said, ‘Sure, if you want to bond over a cigarette’,” he recalled. He now believes that the cigarette was laced with scopolamine—a powerful sedative nicknamed “Devil’s Breath.” Irwin-Cline described the effects taking hold quickly: “I remember being really docile.”

Under the influence, he said he surrendered his phone, recalling:

I have a vague recollection of reviewing some application forms briefly. I provided him with a few passwords to access these applications.

There’s no doubt that the cigarette contained some type of drug. Afterwards, I estimate I lost consciousness for about 20-30 minutes,” he explained, mentioning that he was taken to a peaceful neighborhood where the driver suddenly stopped. “He casually instructed me to step out of the car and open the trunk,” Irwin-Cline recalled. “Under the influence of the drug, I found his request odd but not alarming. I merely asked why, and he responded, ‘Don’t inquire’. As I exited, he sped away, hitting me on half my body, leaving a scratch on my leg, and stranding me on the roadside. I watched him drive off for 10 seconds before realizing my phone was missing and attempting to return.

After receiving assistance from a kind stranger, I made my way back to my hostel and reached out to a friend residing in the United States. He provided me with much-needed aid in restoring access to my hacked cryptocurrency wallets. Upon reviewing the situation, my fears were unfortunately confirmed – I had suffered a significant loss of $123,000 in cryptocurrency and associated assets.

They took the majority of my wealth.

He discovered where his lost funds were located in digital wallets on platforms like MEXC and BTSE. However, the money’s complex journey through multiple layers of digital accounts has made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to retrieve. “It would take a bizarre occurrence or miracle for that money to be recovered – dismantling this network and reclaiming these wallets,” Irwin-Cline stated. “I was investing in cryptocurrency before most people. I was deeply interested in it even during high school when bitcoin was still worth just $1,000.

Despite facing severe financial losses and hardship, Irwin-Cline emphasizes his determination to persevere. “It’s tough, man. I’m still here, and honestly, I wasn’t too excited about it at first, but surviving is definitely what matters most. Money comes and goes, it’s just really bizarre. What bothers me the most is that people seem to be getting away with it. He probably made enough money that he won’t have to do this again for a while.” The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are investigating: “On May 9 at 4:48 a.m., police received reports of a theft in Westminster. A 30-year-old man claims his phone was stolen at Prince’s Square after a taxi ride, and later alleges that approximately $150,000 worth of cryptocurrency was taken from his bank accounts. No one has been arrested yet, and the investigation continues.

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2025-05-23 06:25