Two Texas brothers pleaded guilty Thursday to robbing a Minnesota family of more than $8 million in cryptocurrency during a violent home invasion. Isiah Angelo Garcia, 25, and Raymond Christian Garcia, 24, both of Waller, Texas, each pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery before U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery in Minneapolis, according to the Justice Department. The brothers traveled from Texas to Minnesota specifically to carry out the scheme, holding the family at gunpoint for more than eight hours on the morning of September 19, 2025, in their Grant home. The attack is part of a growing wave of so-called "wrench attacks," in which cryptocurrency holders are coerced into transferring assets through physical force or threats of violence.
Garcia Brothers Plead Guilty to Robbery Charge
Isiah Angelo Garcia and Raymond Christian Garcia entered their guilty pleas Thursday before U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery in Minneapolis, according to a Justice Department statement. Each brother pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce by robbery. Both admitted using firearms to threaten the family during the attack.
Prosecutors said the brothers traveled from Waller, Texas, to Minnesota specifically to carry out the robbery. The case was first brought in September, days after the attack rattled the Grant community and pushed a local high school to cancel a homecoming football game while police hunted the suspects.
Armed Home Invasion Lasted More Than Eight Hours
On the morning of September 19, 2025, the Garcia brothers kidnapped a man and his family at gunpoint inside their home in Grant, a small city outside Minneapolis. They demanded access to the victim's cryptocurrency accounts, zip-tied the family, and held them for more than eight hours, according to court documents.
At one point, Isiah Garcia forced the man to travel to the family's cabin in northern Minnesota to retrieve additional crypto storage devices and move the funds. In all, the brothers forced him to transfer more than $8 million in cryptocurrency.
FBI Tracked Suspects to Houston Area After 911 Call
The family's son managed to call 911 during the ordeal, and the brothers fled the scene. Investigators used items the suspects left behind at the home to identify them, then tracked them to the Houston area, where they were arrested.
"No one should ever feel unsafe in their own home," FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher Dotson said, pledging that such "violence and greed" would be aggressively investigated. U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said the pleas reflected a commitment to holding the brothers "accountable for the choices they made."
Brothers Face 20-Year Maximum Sentences and $8 Million Restitution
Each brother faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. The two agreed to pay more than $8 million in restitution to the victims. Sentencing dates have not been set, according to the Justice Department.
Wrench Attacks Target Crypto Holders Worldwide
The Garcia brothers' case is among a fast-growing wave of so-called "wrench attacks," in which crypto holders are coerced into handing over their assets using physical force or the threat of violence. Such attacks have multiplied worldwide.
Last year, Remy St. Felix received a 47-year prison sentence following his conviction by a federal jury in North Carolina for leading a violent crypto home-invasion ring—the longest sentence in any U.S. cryptocurrency case. In May, three Tennessee men were indicted over a "brazen" wrench-attack spree in California that allegedly netted $6.5 million at gunpoint.
France has become a particular hotspot, with prosecutors charging 88 people, including minors, across a dozen investigations into kidnappings whose victims included Ledger co-founder David Balland, who was abducted and mutilated before police freed him. Security experts say reported cases are likely an undercount, and have urged holders to keep their wealth out of public view.
FAQ
What did the Garcia brothers plead guilty to on Thursday?
Isiah Angelo Garcia, 25, and Raymond Christian Garcia, 24, both of Waller, Texas, each pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of interference with commerce by robbery before U.S. District Judge Ann Montgomery in Minneapolis. They admitted using firearms to threaten a Minnesota family during a home invasion on the morning of September 19, 2025.
How much cryptocurrency did the brothers steal from the Minnesota family?
The Garcia brothers forced the victim to transfer more than $8 million in cryptocurrency during the attack. They held the family at gunpoint for more than eight hours, zip-tied them, and at one point forced the father to travel to the family's cabin in northern Minnesota to retrieve additional crypto storage devices.
What penalties do the Garcia brothers face for the armed robbery?
Each brother faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. The two agreed to pay more than $8 million in restitution to the victims. Sentencing dates have not been set, according to the Justice Department.
