FBI Sees Bitcoin Ransom Payments as 'Best Lead' in Savannah Guthrie's Mother's Kidnapping

Cybersecurity expert Ari Redbord explains how blockchain analysis could help investigators trace the flow of cryptocurrency funds.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 12:22pm

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The mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, Nancy Guthrie, remains missing more than two months after her February 1 abduction from her Tucson, Arizona home. Cybersecurity expert Ari Redbord told Fox Nation journalist Nancy Grace that the FBI considers tracing the Bitcoin ransom payments as their 'best lead' in the case, as cryptocurrency transactions are traceable and can be linked to known threat actors.

Why it matters

The kidnapping of Savannah Guthrie's elderly mother has garnered national attention, and investigators are exploring all avenues to try and locate Nancy Guthrie and identify her abductors. The potential to trace the flow of Bitcoin ransom payments could provide a crucial breakthrough in the high-profile case.

The details

According to Redbord, the FBI is using blockchain analysis tools to track the movement of the Bitcoin ransom funds, with the goal of potentially identifying the individuals behind the abduction by linking cryptocurrency addresses to known threat actors. Every Bitcoin transaction is recorded on a public blockchain, making the funds traceable and trackable over time.

  • Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Tucson home on the evening of January 31, 2026.
  • Nancy was abducted from her home on February 1, 2026.

The players

Nancy Guthrie

The 84-year-old mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, who was kidnapped from her Tucson, Arizona home on February 1, 2026.

Savannah Guthrie

The co-anchor of the Today show, whose mother Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson home.

Ari Redbord

A cybersecurity expert and the global head of policy at TRM Labs, who discussed the FBI's use of blockchain analysis to trace the Bitcoin ransom payments in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case.

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What they’re saying

“Look, anytime that there's a cryptocurrency address involved in a case, it's an immediate lead. And what most people don't understand about cryptocurrency is every transaction occurs on a public blockchain, particularly Bitcoin, which is public. Meaning every transaction is traceable, trackable, and immutable. In other words, it's there forever. In other words, crypto is the ultimate crime scene.”

— Ari Redbord, Global Head of Policy, TRM Labs

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow the FBI to continue their investigation into the Bitcoin ransom payments as the 'best lead' in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping.

The takeaway

The ability to trace cryptocurrency transactions through blockchain analysis could prove crucial in cracking the high-profile case of Savannah Guthrie's missing mother, providing investigators with a potential avenue to identify the perpetrators behind the abduction.