Florida Plaintiffs Seek Emergency Relief in $29.7M Crypto Theft Case

On Monday, January 5, 2026, Renato Elia, Manuel Fernandez, and Unigames International Inc. filed an amended complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida against Cesar Castañeda, Erika Castañeda, Katherine Castañeda, Victor Cardenas, Liliana Martinez, Edgar Martinez, Cesar Castañeda Jr., and Jesus Parra, alleging a complex cryptocurrency theft and money laundering scheme.

The plaintiffs claim that on December 13, 2024, Cesar Castañeda, who was under a federal court order prohibiting him from engaging in any cryptocurrency transactions, stole 292.43 Bitcoin, valued at $29,669,646.57 at the time, from them. According to the complaint, Castañeda orchestrated a fraudulent scheme in which he induced the plaintiffs to act as legal titleholders of the Bitcoin, which was held in escrow at the law firm Taylor English Duma LLP. The plaintiffs allege that Castañeda secretly retained unauthorized access credentials to the cold wallet device where the Bitcoin was stored.

The complaint further alleges that after the theft, the defendants engaged in an interstate money laundering operation, transferring the stolen Bitcoin into fiat currency and then distributing approximately $9 million to family members in Texas and Florida for real estate purchases. The plaintiffs claim that these transactions were structured to conceal the source of the funds and obstruct tracing efforts.

Specifically, the complaint highlights a transaction on July 7, 2025, in which defendants Edgar Martinez and Liliana Martinez allegedly transferred three commercial properties constituting the La Leyenda Event Center, valued at approximately $7 million, to defendant Jesus Parra for nominal consideration. The plaintiffs argue that Parra, a welder by profession, lacks the independent wealth to legitimately acquire such valuable real estate, suggesting that he is acting as a strawman in the money laundering scheme.

The plaintiffs are pursuing eleven counts in the lawsuit, including violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, as well as claims for fraud, civil theft, conversion, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and civil conspiracy. They are seeking emergency injunctive relief, including asset freezes and a prohibition on further transfers, as well as compensatory damages of at least $29,669,646.57. The plaintiffs are also seeking treble damages under RICO and Florida’s civil theft statute, totaling no less than $89,008,939.71, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and the imposition of a constructive trust on all traceable assets.

The plaintiffs allege that emergency relief is necessary because the defendants are actively dissipating assets and have demonstrated a willingness to use threats of violence. They also claim that the defendants have systematically concealed their activities and refused to provide an accounting of the stolen Bitcoin.

Please contact BlockTribune for access to a copy of this filing.