Key Takeaways
- An American tourist claims he was drugged and robbed of $123,000 in Bitcoin and XRP in London.
- He suspects a powerful sedative, 'Devil's Breath,' was used to access his phone and crypto wallets.
- Authorities are investigating, but the victim sees 'less than 1%' chance of recovering the funds.
An American tourist alleges he lost $123,000 in Bitcoin and XRP after being abducted by a fake Uber driver during a short stay in London.
Details of the Incident
Jacob Irwin-Cline, a 30-year-old from Portland, Oregon, said the incident happened after he left a Soho bar on May 9.
A man posing as his Uber driver pulled up in a dark sedan, calling out his alias saved in the app.
The vehicle did not match the app’s details, and Irwin-Cline now suspects it was a coordinated scam involving an accomplice.
Method of Theft
He believes the driver drugged him with “Devil’s Breath,” a potent sedative also known as scopolamine.
Irwin-Cline told MyLondon:
I was slipping in and out of consciousness.
He recalled handing over his phone and passcodes under the influence before being dumped in a suburb and struck by a car.
Aftermath and Financial Loss
Upon returning to his hostel, he found his devices wiped and wallets drained.
Screenshots he shared show his XRP holdings dropped from $73,000 to under $1,000, and his Bitcoin balance fell from $50,000 to under $10.
He traced some of the funds to MEXC and BTSE but sees little hope of recovery.
Ongoing Investigation
He said:
It’s virtually impossible to get that money back unless some weird miracle happened.
The City of London Police confirmed an ongoing investigation.
Uber called the incident “totally unacceptable” and said it is fully investigating.
