A violent cryptocurrency crime gang led by a young hacker nicknamed "MeowMeow" has been dismantled in the United States. The gang had carried out a series of brutal home invasions and kidnappings targeting small investors. Members of the gang included technical experts and enforcers on the ground, who used methods such as SIM swapping and physical attacks to steal millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency from victims, including a retired couple in Florida and a teacher in North Carolina. The rise of such "swap attacks" highlights the unique risks of irreversible cryptocurrency transactions and the lack of consumer protection in the crypto space compared to traditional finance.