A bitcoin account that was allegedly set up to receive the $6 million ransom demand for Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today’ show host Savannah Guthrie, remained empty just hours before the deadline. As of Monday afternoon, February 9, the balance in the account, which is publicly viewable, stood at $0 with no recorded transactions, TMZ reported.
How long it usually takes for bitcoin accounts to update is unclear.
The alleged ransom note for Nancy had listed a deadline of Monday at 5 pm Arizona time, or 7 pm Eastern, to pay the money in cryptocurrency. A previous deadline set on Thursday has already expired.
Savannah Guthrie requests public to help
Savannah urged the public to help her in a new video posted to Instagram on Monday afternoon, admitting that the family is “at an hour of desperation.’’
“We believe our mom is still out there,” Savannah said. “She was taken, and we don’t know where.”
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Savannah requested anyone across the country to report anything suspicious that they believe may be connected to her mother’s disappearance.
“I’m coming on just to ask you not just for your prayers, but no matter where you are — even if you’re far from Tucson — if you see anything, if you hear anything, if there’s anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement,” she said.
“We need your help,” she added.
Savannah’s plea for help came less than three hours before the supposed abductors’ 7 pm EST deadline to pay the ransom in exchange for Nancy’s safe return.
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Savannah previously released a new video message on Instagram, saying they have agreed to pay ransom for Nancy’s release. “We received your message and we understand,” Savannah said in the video. “We beg you now to return our mother to us, so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way that we can have peace. This is very valuable to us and we will pay.”
Meanwhile, Fox News Digital reporter Michael Ruiz shared an update from Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos. “We do not have any additional information to release publicly this afternoon. The investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance remains active and ongoing. We understand the significant public interest in this case; however, investigators need time and space to do their work. If and when relevant information becomes available, it will be shared,” Nanos said about 20 minutes before the deadline ended, according to an X post by Ruiz.