Alexandre Geraldo dos Anjos, of São José dos Campos in Brazil, faked his own kidnapping this week and, posing as his abductors, demanded that his family pay a 3 Bitcoin ransom. Instead of paying, his family informed the police, leaving dos Anjos with little choice but to turn himself in.
Dos Anjos claims to be a pastor in the evangelical Assembleia de Deus Missão church, although the church leadership say that, “Alexandre Geraldo dos Anjos is not pastor or member of the ministry of this church”.
While his religious status is unclear, what is certain is that he went missing last Monday leaving no clue to his whereabouts. The disappearance was widely reported in the Brazilian media.
Apparently he then used a new SIM card to contact a friend and pretend to be kidnappers asking for a 3 Bitcoin ransom. When the friend passed on the message to his worried family they decided to go to the police rather than pay-up.
With few options remaining to him Dos Anjos reappeared at the Igaratá police station, claiming that he had made a daring escape from this captors. Realising that this could not be the full story, the police transferred him to São José General Investigations Office. Under interrogation he admitted that the whole thing had been a hoax, claiming he’s been driven to his actions by mounting debts.
Since his reappearance Dos Anjos has released a tearful video thanking his friends and family for their love and prayers during his absence. “I want to thank the brothers who are with us in prayer in this battle, in this struggle,” he said. He made no mention of having staged an elaborate hoax to leverage money from his family.
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