Court documents reveal the elaborate plan devised by Kristy Lynn Felkins, who sought to eliminate her ex-spouse to claim a significant life insurance payout.
In 2016, Kristy Lynn Felkins, a 38-year-old resident of Fallon, Nevada, decided to hire a hitman to carry out the murder of her ex-husband.
She used the anonymity provided by Bitcoin to transfer $5,000 to a hitman-for-hire found on a dark web platform known as Besa Mafia. This nefarious website allowed users to anonymously solicit hitmen using cryptocurrency.
Felkins’ motive was driven by financial gain. She aimed to acquire her ex-husband’s retirement funds, their shared house, and a substantial life insurance payment. Additionally, she even offered to pay an extra $4,000 to expedite the murder timeline.
Kristy Felkins instructed the hired assassin to make the murder appear as a mugging gone wrong. Shockingly, she expressed a lack of concern even if her ex-husband’s new girlfriend suffered injuries during the operation.
Thankfully, the dark web platform turned out to be a scam, and no actual hitman existed. The site was likely an attempt to extort money from unsuspecting individuals seeking illegal services.
In March, Felkins accepted a guilty plea as part of an agreement with federal prosecutors, leading to a shorter sentence. Avoiding a trial was likely a strategic decision, considering she faced a maximum sentence of ten years in prison if found guilty.
A district judge has now ordered Felkins to surrender in September to begin her five-year prison term. Upon her release, she will undergo three years of supervision.
This case sheds light on the darker side of cryptocurrencies, as their decentralization and anonymity can facilitate criminal activities.
While cryptocurrencies offer financial privacy, they also present an avenue for illegal and unethical acts, such as hiring hitmen on the dark web.
Numerous instances in the past have surfaced where Bitcoin has been misused to contract hitmen, raising concerns about the authenticity of such dark web services and the potential scams that accompany them.
