Mother of TV host abducted for cryptocurrency ransom., 2026/02/04 09:16:47

Authorities in the United States are searching for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie. The elderly woman has gone missing, and days later, unidentified individuals sent a message demanding a multi-million dollar ransom in Bitcoin for her release.

The message was received by the editorial team at TMZ. It included a Bitcoin address for the transfer of funds. Journalists confirmed that the wallet mentioned is valid, but the exact amount requested has not been publicly disclosed. In addition to the ransom demands, the message accurately described the clothing Nancy was wearing at the time of her disappearance, as well as one of the items found broken in the home where the elderly woman was last seen.  

The editorial team forwarded the note from the unknown individuals to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Law enforcement officials have not officially verified the authenticity of the note and have also not disclosed the amount demanded by the kidnappers. 

Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her home in the Catalina Foothills area of Arizona on Sunday, February 1. She was last seen in that same house on the evening of January 31. Initially, police considered the possibility that the elderly woman had simply gone outside and gotten lost due to her age and health issues. However, the case was later reclassified as a kidnapping, and detectives specializing in homicide investigations became involved.  

Over the past year, incidents of attacks on cryptocurrency owners and their relatives have increased by 75%. In 2025, there were 72 reported cases of such violent thefts, with the highest number occurring in France. Recently, criminals kidnapped a 74-year-old retiree in Lyon, France, mistakenly believing he was the father of a prominent crypto investor. The man was tortured, and when it became clear that his son had no money, he was released.