Norway Norway - Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik, 68, kidnapped, cryptocurrency ransom demanded, Oslo, 31 Oct 2018

[scandinavian girl]

Polisens råd: ”Betala ingen lösensumma” | SvD

Svenska Dagbladet, Sweden. today 10.48 am.

LE:s advice, Don´t pay any ransome money

quoted and translated snippet:

"suspected to have been removed from within the bathroom in the couple's residence, VG states. According to information, there should not have been traces of burglary or video recording from the occasion"

Due to the Mcstay trial I haven´t heard any of this but will snoop around the articles to look for updates. This is just wat I caught with a quick search.

 

[scandinavian girl]

Teorin: Miljardärsfru kidnappad – har varit borta i 74 dagar

Expressen is one of two major evening newspapers in Sweden

"Not been any signs of life"

"Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen can be held captive abroad"

 

[cybervampira]

Kidnappers demand £8 million ransom for wife of one of Norway's richest men after disappearance | Daily Mail Online

[...]

Tommy Broske at the Eastern Police District said the way Mrs Falkevik Hagen was abducted suggested 'that these are professional offenders'.

Police added that officers do not know if she is being held in the same place since her kidnap or has been taken outside of Norway.

[...]

Many Norwegian media outlets knew of Mrs Falkevik Hagen's disappearance but did not publish any details after the police warned against publicising the kidnap over fears the attackers would harm the victim.

There is no evidence Mrs Falkevik Hagen has been harmed since she disappeared, but officers have also not received any 'proof of life', police said.

Broske added during an appeal for help to the public: 'A ransom demand and serious threats have been issued. We have not known anything comparable in this country.

'Our main theory is that the victim was kidnapped by unidentified perpetrators at her home.

'We need information, and that is why we now go out into the media.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Cryptocurrency ransom demanded for missing wife of Norwegian businessman | Reuters

Norwegian tabloid Verdens Gang, quoting unnamed sources, reported that a demand for ransom corresponding to 9 million euros ($10 million) had been made, payable in the Monero cryptocurrency.

The business magazine Kapital estimated Tom Hagen’s net worth at around $200 million.

 

[MissEhrmann]

I´m in Norway and have been following the news channel all day and I have not heard anything about any proof of life after she disappeared.

 

[Tortoise]

How did they know it was a kidnapping back in October if the ransom demand was only received recently? It's a bit much to stay quiet for over two months if your wife goes missing.

 

[cybervampira]

How did they know it was a kidnapping back in October if the ransom demand was only received recently? It's a bit much to stay quiet for over two months if your wife goes missing.

They knew right away, they just kept a low profile...

Anne-Elisabeth’s husband, Tom Hagen, arrived an empty home October 31st where he found a written letter. The letter was written in Norwegian with spelling errors. The threat note demanded a 9 million euro ransom to be paid in the cryptocurrency Monero. The threat note went on and claimed that Anne-Elisabeth would be murdered if the police got involved. That’s why the police think they are dealing with a kidnapping case.

 

[Tortoise]

Ah thanks cyber! I thought the ransom demand only just came in.

 

[dalsglen]

Worth 200 million... yeah I think i would cough up that 9 mil for my spouse.

 

[Elainera]

They should ask for proof of life, isn't that how they do it usually?

9 million Euro is an odd figure. I wonder why. Easily split into three?

 

[InsightfulSage]

It’s been 3 mo. Highly doubtful it plays out well. I have to imagine it would seem impossible to the kidnappers that he would suddenly pay up. So what motivation would they have to both continue to hold her captive, yet keep her alive?

 

[Vail]

Worth 200 million... yeah I think i would cough up that 9 mil for my spouse.

I would certainly want to, yet there is a risk that this is a terrorist cell and the last thing anyone wants is for them to get 9 millon euro. Hopefully it is not anything close, and Anne is returned.

 

[doodles1211]

I think that’s Google lost in translation.

It should probably say ”by then“, not ”until then“. The way I understand it is that Aftenposten was told just before Christmas that there had been no sign of life since she was taken. So, I think they have nothing but some electronic messages with demands for ransom, no sign of life.

Maybe one of our Norwegian Websleuthers can confirm?

Ah, thanks Cyber... I was thinking they had heard something. Darn! The language translations are probably quite cumbersome.

 

[Legally Bland]

So how easy is it to turn €9m of crytpocurrency into real money without raising eyebrows?

If this had gone to plan and a ransom was paid the next day (Nov 1), I reckon it'd only be worth €4.5m now if it was kept in the cryptocurrency. It has dropped by almost 50 percent.

Monero (XMR) Historical Data | CoinMarketCap

 

[Elainera]

I wonder when they last heard from the abductors. It was said there was only limited communication but when was the last contact? Or did I miss it?

 

[cybervampira]

I wonder when they last heard from the abductors. It was said there was only limited communication but when was the last contact? Or did I miss it?

Couldn’t find anything yet. This is part of the presser with English subtitles but it doesn’t answer that question:

Video: £8 million ransom demand for wife of missing Norwegian businessman | Daily Mail Online

 

[Chiatos]

This is such sad news. I hope the lady is doing well and that she will be released soon.

In this item you can read about 10 other similar kidnappings in which crypto currency was asked as ransom (all of which ended well for the kidnapped):
Flere kidnappinger med krav om løsepenger i kryptovaluta

 

[whitelilac]

Looking for 3 people seen on video :

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Norwegian police investigating the believed abduction of millionaire Tom Hagen’s wife released Thursday two surveillance videos taken outside the businessman’s office on the day she disappeared.

Police called for the three people seen in the Oct. 31 video to get in touch. Hagen’s 68-year-old wife, Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen, disappeared that day and police believe she has been abducted.

Chief police investigator Tommy Broeske said one of the men was seen walking on a road before turning around and going back down the road immediately. Police wanted to speak to the man, as well as another person walking on the same road and a passing cyclist.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...0cd4f7926f2_story.html?utm_term=.edef532fd3a0

 

[Elainera]

Mmh. Color me puzzled Why do they want to speak to people who were passing by the husband's office? Do they think they were ensuring the husband did not go home at the time the kidnapping was planned? Or do they think the husband was involved? What could these men possibly contribute to shed some light on Anne's disappearance?

 

[Lorrie]

Yes, the police think they was ensuring that the husband was not home @Elainera...