The victim, 23-year-old Ukrainian tourist Viacheslav Leibov, reported the incident to Kamala Police at about 10:45pm last Thursday (Nov 8) .
According to Mr Leibov, the robbery took place earlier that night.
Mr Leibov said he was invited by his friend, Alfred Chernychuk, an 18-year-old Ukrainian, to his accommodation. Upon arrival, Mr Leibov was greeted by an Armenian national, 21-year-old Arman Grigoryan, who escorted him to the room where the assault occurred.
While conversing on the room’s balcony, Mr Leibov stepped into the bathroom, where he encountered two unknown men. They forcibly covered his face and then, together with Grigoryan, tied Mr Leibov’s hands and feet using rope and cable ties.
Grigoryan then reportedly threatened Mr Leibov, demanding a transfer of US$500,000 of the cryptocurrency ‘Tether’ (also known as ‘USDT’), or he would “break his fingers”. Grigoryan was allegedly armed with a hammer, while another assailant wielded a long knife.
Mr Leibov apparently was able to negotiate with the assailants, ultimately agreeing to transfer US$250,000.
Once the funds were confirmed, the suspects tied Mr Leibov to the bed, warning him not to report the incident.
After the gang fled, Mr Leibov managed to free himself and immediately alerted the accommodation’s front desk. Through the front desk records, he learned the identities of the assailants.
In an effort to track down the suspects, Mr Leibov reportedly searched for them at Phuket airport but was unsuccessful. He returned home and later filed an official complaint, fearing further consequences but determined to seek justice.
“When I saw the suspects leave the room, I tried to untie the rope, which took about five minutes. After freeing myself, I went downstairs to the reception area on the first floor, where I asked the staff to take a photo of the tenants’ passports. That’s when I learned the room was rented by two people, Arman Grigoryan and Alfred Chernychuk,” Mr Leibov said.
“I told the staff not to enter the room or move anything, so the scene could be preserved as evidence. I then took a motorcycle to Phuket Airport to look for the three suspects, but I couldn’t find them.
“I returned to my home in the Rawai area and, after considering the risks, I decided to report the incident to the investigation officer at Kamala Police Station to pursue legal action against the suspects,” he added.
Phuket police are now investigating the incident and searching for the suspects involved in the attack.