Crypto Worth $11 Million Stolen From OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's Ex's House

A tech investor who once dated OpenAI CEO Sam Altman had his $11 million cryptocurrency stolen Saturday evening. An armed thief posed as a delivery worker and forced his way into the Mission District home, police sources said.

Lachy Groom, 31, a venture capitalist, purchased the Dorland Street property from Altman's brother in 2021 for $1.8 million, property records show.

The suspect arrived at Groom's $4.4 million Dorland Street residence carrying a white box and asked for “Joshua,” claiming to be delivering a package for a UPS affiliate.

Joshua, a fellow tech investor living at the property, answered the door. The intruder asked him to sign for the package, rifled through his pocket, and requested a pen before following him inside. A loud bang was heard shortly after, as per The San Francisco Chronicle.

Once inside, the robber pulled a gun on Joshua, tied him up with duct tape, and stole his phone and laptop while emptying his cryptocurrency wallets, according to police. Officers arrived at 6:45 pm and found the victim with minor bruises.

The gunman reportedly stole $11 million in Ethereum and Bitcoin in what investigators believe was a targeted operation by an organized crime group.

During the 90-minute ordeal, the suspect allegedly tortured the victim, beating him while holding up a phone on the loudspeaker as foreign voices recited information.

He also poured liquid over the resident before emptying the crypto wallets, sources said.

The neighbourhood is known for tech elites. Nearby, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg once owned a $31 million property. Groom and Altman have previously invested in startups together, as per The NY Post.

Groom, originally from Australia, gained recognition as a young entrepreneur, founding four startups and selling three before age 18. He was later identified as part of the so-called “Stripe Mafia,” a network of former Stripe employees who went on to start venture-backed companies.

Authorities said the suspect remains at large and continues to investigate the incident as part of a growing number of violent crypto thefts targeting wealthy investors.