FBI's $152 Bitcoin Deposit Fails to Aid Search for Missing Nancy Guthrie

The FBI placed a $152 Bitcoin micro‑deposit into a wallet identified in ransom notes after the disappearance of 84‑year‑old Nancy Guthrie in Tucson, Arizona, on 31 January 2026. Kidnappers, who had demanded between $4 million and $6 million in Bitcoin, never moved the funds, and investigators now worry the visible deposit may have warned them that law enforcement was monitoring the address.

The case, described by officials as a “crypto kidnapping,” has seen multiple subsequent ransom notes, some asking for smaller amounts of Bitcoin in exchange for information. As of June 2026 no significant leads have emerged. Authorities have offered rewards ranging from $50,000 to $1 million for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery or the arrest of those responsible.