Angelos Pericleous, 31, who has been missing since Thursday, told his partner that he feared being abducted, according to police sources.
Philenews writes that Pericleous called the woman on April 20 to inform her that he would visit their house in Limassol with the 24-year-old, who is now the main suspect in the case.
The 24-year-old was an acquaintance of the couple and had been in their house before, sources said while noting that the men went to the apartment in separate cars but later left together in the same vehicle on Thursday.
The woman said that after she tried reaching Pericleous but his mobile phone was off. According to police, the phone stopped emitting signal near Skarinou.
The car was found torched on Friday in a shooting range in Paliometocho, Nicosia.
Authorities discovered a shovel, pickaxe, scissors and duct tape near the scene, which they sent for laboratory examination.
Sources say that Pericleous distrusted the 24-year-old, while a third person had warned him not to get in the car that day because he risked being abducted.
Suspect filed a report for burglary and assault against Pericleous
The two men seem to have history as on March 14, the 24-year-old reported to Kiti police station that Pericleous beat him and stole 100,000 euros, three mobile phones and a Rolex watch from him, before abandoning him in the middle of the highway near Mazotos.
A few days later, the 24-year-old withdrew his complaint against Pericleous but later filed a new one.
According to Phileleftheros, the 100,000 euros were part of a 200,000-euro loot that the 24-year-old had stolen from a Russian businessman in a cryptocurrency scam.
Police then arrested the 24-year-old and released him on bail to appear in court at a future date.
He was ordered to report at a Nicosia police station, however, he went missing this past weekend.
The 24-year-old eventually turned himself in to authorities on Sunday and was remanded in custody for eight days by Limassol District Court.
He is facing charges of abduction with intent to murder and car arson.
According to information, the 24-year-old is not cooperating with authorities.
Suspect is first Cypriot national to be extradited to the U.S.
The 24-year-old, a computer whiz, is known to authorities and is the first Cypriot national ever to be extradited to the U.S.
Specifically, in 2021 he pleaded guilty to federal computer fraud charges brought against him in Arizona and Georgia and served a one-year prison sentence in the U.S.
While still a teenager, he hacked into major websites and threatened that he would release stolen user information unless the websites paid a ransom in Bitcoin to him and his accomplices.
As a result of his conviction, he forfeited $389,113 and €70,000 to the U.S. government and paid $600,000 in restitution to his fraud victims, on the back of his cryptocurrency takings.
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‘Little Hacker’ is the main suspect behind missing man’s case in Limassol
