A SOPHISTICATED cybercriminal who was the head of an organised crime gang was facing a lengthy jail sentence today after planning a bid to carry out a robbery to seize cryptocurrency from prison.
Robert Barr, 29, arranged for a robbery to take place at a house in a town in Midlothian in January 2024 and then attempted to have a second raid on the property carried out later.
In a message to an associate he wrote: “I had his house robbed a few month ago by boys in here. They got his ledger n left loads of other things in the house like notepads way words for crypto wallets n tht.”
Advocate depute David Dickson KC told the High Court in Edinburgh: “On April 8 2024 the accused Barr indicated to his associate that the cryptocurrency owned by the husband may be worth upwards of pounds 2 million and displayed knowledge that he knew the husband had been involved with cryptocurrency since it first emerged and that the husband’s ‘own coin’ was worth pounds 1 million.”
The court heard that the husband was a co-founder of a cryptocurrency start-up and had invested in the online currency since about 2014.
He did not advertise that he had cryptocurrency but had a social media account and most of the accounts he followed were linked to it.
Mr Dickson said: “Barr was the head of the organised crime group which carried out the offence. The accused Barr is clearly a sophisticated cybercriminal with the ability to orchestrate a level of criminality rarely seen within mainstream investigations.”
Barr was a prisoner in Edinburgh‘s Saughton jail at the time of the offence. He received a 21 month sentence for fraud and a further eight month jail term for illicitly possessing mobile phones in prison.
He admitted being involved in serious organised crime between January and April 2024 and arranging for a robbery to take place at the house in Midlothian in January that year and a further attempt at robbery to take place in April 2024.
When the house was broken into in January one of the items that was stolen was a cryptocurrency wallet.
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Mr Dickson said: “The cryptocurrency was recovered as those who broke in did not have the PIN for the device or the recovery phrase.”
Ahead of the second attempt to get his hands on the crypto currency Barr told an associate in a message: “Im going to send u a website for the boys to make him go on. If they need phone me on Telegram. I can speak to them in house keep them right.”
He also said: “When they’re in his house gonna need get him on his PC fast n download Anydesk rapid my mate. Connect to that and go to all the websites he will have money in and make him send the money from ledger n that. So prob need keep control of his house for 5min?”
He added: “I will send u a website anyway he goes to and it has all the addresses and download link for Anydesk.”
The court heard that the husband and his wife were at home on April 17 in 2024 when she became aware of the front door being knocked. Her husband looked out and saw two figures wearing dark clothing with hoods pulled up.
He told his wife not to open the door as he was concerned about their motive and did not recognise the pair nor was he expecting anyone.
His wife opened a ring doorbell app and said: “Hello.” Sean Favier was one of the men at the door and replied: “Sappnin bro.” The other man looked into the camera and said: “Is that a camera right in front of me?” The pair then walked off as they tried to hide their faces.
The court was told that Barr’s phone was seized on June 25 in 2024. Mr Dickson said: “Examination of that phone found it to contain details of the accused Barr’s involvement in the organisation and provision of specialist support to criminal associates to conduct crypto-theft.”
Favier, 26, formerly of McIntyre Avenue, Larbert, in Stirlingshire, admitted attending at the house in Midlothian in an attempt to commit a robbery and steal “a significant sum of cryptocurrency assets”.
The judge, Lord Cubie, adjourned sentence for the preparation of background reports on Barr and Favier who were remanded in custody.
