James Schwab, Kidnapping Conspiracy, Connecticut 2025

A brutal kidnapping in Danbury has led to federal charges against a 22-year-old from Peachtree Corners, Georgia. James Schwab, 22, is accused of helping to orchestrate a violent carjacking and kidnapping of two individuals on August 25, 2024.

As alleged in court documents, Schwab had an altercation with the victims' son in a Miami nightclub in July 2024. He was in regular communication with the kidnappers, provided funding for the crime, and helped arrange the participants' transportation and lodging.

The investigation revealed that the kidnapping victims are the parents of an individual suspected of participating in the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. Five of the six individuals charged with offenses related to the carjacking and kidnapping have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

Schwab was arrested on January 29, 2025, at Los Angeles International Airport after he returned to the U.S. from a trip to Bali. A grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Schwab with one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

Schwab appeared in Bridgeport federal court on March 12, 2025, and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge. He has been detained since his arrest.

Acting U.S. Attorney Marc H. Silverman stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI New Haven Violent Crimes Task Force and the Danbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ct/pr/georgia-man-charged-danbury-kidnapping-conspiracy