Murder paid with Bitcoin – 12 years in prison for Tina Jones

Many people have the impression that the use of cryptocurrencies ensures the anonymity of their activities. The Jones case shows that reality is different.

Tina Jones, a 32-year-old assistant from Des Plaines, Illinois, paid a killer $ 12,000 in Bitcoin to kill her lover’s wife. Specifically, she had a relationship with a married colleague, and when he left, Jones decided that the best solution would be a paid murder with Bitcoin.

In an attempt to hide his footsteps, Jones accessed the dark web markets with the help of the Tor web browser and turned to the services of the so-called “Sicilian Hitman International Network”. She provided the victim’s address and photo, as well as her boyfriend’s work schedule, with instructions not to assault the victim’s husband. Over a three-month period, she paid $ 12,000 in Bitcoin for her lover’s wife to be killed.

Intercepted plan

The plan was intercepted by police following an investigation into the illegal services on the dark web conducted by the CBS 48-hour program. The Hitman International Network’s Sicilian site has proven to be a scam, under the name Murder Paid with Bitcoin. Authorities identified Jones’ bitcoin transactions and arrested him on a charge of attempted murder. Jones pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

In addition to this sentence, she also had to pay nearly $ 10,000 in fines, victim rewards and court costs.