James Schwab, 22, from Peachtree Corners, Georgia, has been charged for his role in the kidnapping of two people in Danbury, Connecticut, in August 2024. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut announced the charges on Monday.
Schwab was arrested on January 29, 2025, at Los Angeles International Airport after returning from a trip to Bali, Indonesia, and has since remained in custody. According to court documents, Schwab allegedly conspired in the violent kidnapping that took place on August 25, 2024. Danbury police had arrested six Florida men in connection with the crime, which involved a carjacking of a Lamborghini Urus and the abduction of its two occupants.
The victims were later identified as the parents of an individual suspected of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency, which may have been a motive for the crime.
Schwab had an earlier altercation with the victims’ son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In the days leading up to the kidnapping, Schwab allegedly communicated regularly with several of the co-defendants, provided financial assistance for the operation, and helped coordinate logistics such as transportation and lodging for the perpetrators.
Federal criminal complaints have been filed against Schwab and the following six co-defendants charged in the kidnapping:
Angel Borrero (aka “Chi Chi”), 23, of Miami
Josue Alberto Romero (aka “Sway”), 26, of Miami
Reynaldo Diaz (aka “Rey”), 20, of Belle Glade
Anthony Pena (aka “Tony”), 23, of Miami Gardens
Michael Rivas, 18, of Miami
Ricardo Estrada (aka “Ricky”), 21, of Miami
These six individuals were arrested on related state charges on August 25, 2024, and have remained in custody since. Schwab is now facing federal charges connected to the kidnapping.
