Crypto Billionaire Fights Off Kidnappers by Biting Attacker's Finger in Estonia

Australian cryptocurrency billionaire Tim Heath narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt in Estonia after biting off part of his assailant's finger during a violent confrontation. According to testimony presented at an Estonian court last week, the July 2022 attack occurred in the stairwell of Heath's Tallinn apartment building when two men disguised as painters ambushed him. DNA evidence from a severed finger fragment found near the scene corroborated Heath's account.

Court documents reveal that Allahverdi Allahverdiyev, an Azerbaijani national and former combat sports athlete, attempted to restrain Heath from behind while climbing the stairs. The assailants planned to force the billionaire into a waiting van, but Heath fought back by biting off part of the attacker's index finger. Despite losing a tooth in the struggle, Heath managed to escape and barricade himself in his Old Town residence. The abductors fled the scene, abandoning their vehicle nearby.

The meticulously planned operation involved seven suspects who reportedly surveilled Heath for months using GPS trackers and burner phones. Prosecutors disclosed that the group had acquired disguises from local hardware stores and rented a nearby sauna house intended to serve as a holding facility. Their ultimate goal was supposedly to coerce Heath into transferring cryptocurrency assets.

Heath, founder of Yolo Group and its VC arm Yolo Investments, has since invested over $3.1 million in enhanced security measures and relocated residences. His legal team is pursuing restitution of these costs from the accused. Authorities warn that threats persist, citing an anonymous Telegram message demanding 30 BTC (approximately $3.2 million at the time) accompanied by photographs of Heath's residence, received weeks after the attack.