Prisoner Jailed for 8 Years Over Crypto Theft Plot

A Scottish court has jailed Robert Barr for eight years for orchestrating an attempted theft of up to £2 million ($2.7 million) in cryptocurrency from his prison cell. According to a sentencing statement published by Scotland's Judicial Office, Barr planned for two accomplices to force a victim to install remote-access software so he could drain the digital assets.

The Cell-Block Plot

The plan involved accomplices Sean Favier and Iain Doyle gaining entry to a victim's home in Midlothian, near Edinburgh, on April 17, 2024. Once inside, they were instructed to make the victim download AnyDesk, a remote-access program. This would have allowed Barr—who was serving a 21-month sentence at HMP Edinburgh for fraud—to take control of the computer from prison and transfer the funds to wallets under his control.

The plot failed when the victims spotted the men on their doorbell camera and refused to open their door. Lord Cubie sentenced Favier to four years and Doyle to five years at the High Court in Glasgow. Prosecutors described Barr as a sophisticated cybercriminal who used illicit communication methods behind bars to coordinate the operation.

## Key facts

• Robert Barr was sentenced to eight years in prison by Scotland's High Court of Justiciary.
• The attempted crypto theft targeted up to £2 million ($2.7 million) in digital assets.
• Accomplice Sean Favier received a four-year sentence, while Iain Doyle was sentenced to five years.
• The plot was thwarted after the victims refused to open their door upon seeing the men on a doorbell camera.
• Investigators uncovered the scheme after seizing Barr's phone in June 2024.