KeyTakeaways:
- TikTok influencer avoids jail after pleading guilty to kidnapping, Bitcoin theft.
- Colivas sentenced to community corrections for violent robbery targeting Saudi royal.
- Judge cites troubled past and mental health as factors in Colivas’ sentence.
A TikTok influencer who was involved in a violent kidnapping and robbery has managed to avoid jail time, despite pleading guilty to several serious charges. Catherine Colivas, 24, was sentenced to a community corrections order after her involvement in a terrifying crime that left a victim severely injured and forced to hand over a substantial sum of Bitcoin.
In February of the previous year, Colivas and her co-accused, Paris Kennedy, 22, organized a terrifying trial against a 23-year-old man they met on a dating app. The victim, a Saudi Arabian royal with a background in crypto trading and luxury goods, was targeted after matching with Colivas on the platform.
The situation heated up when Colivas invited the victim to meet her, offering drinks and dinner before leading him to her home. As he accompanied her to the door, the victim was attacked by three men, including Colivas’ boyfriend, who was involved in drug dealing. The attackers restrained the man using cable ties and threatened him at knifepoint, demanding $20,000 in cash.
When the victim could not meet their cash demand, he was forced to transfer $40,000 in Bitcoin after calling a friend for help. The attackers, not satisfied with the cryptocurrency, took the opportunity to invade the man’s home, stealing designer clothing, electronics, and valuables. The victim, who suffered injuries to his wrists and head, immediately contacted the authorities after being released.
Colivas pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including kidnapping, extortion, recklessly causing injury, theft, and possession of a firearm. Despite the severity of the crime, Judge Nola Karapanagiotidis ruled that Colivas would serve her sentence under a community corrections order rather than jail time.
The judge acknowledged that while Colivas played a role in the crime, her youth, troubled upbringing, and fragile mental health were factors in the decision. The death of her brother, Andrew Colivas, a convicted criminal who passed away while she was awaiting trial, was also taken into consideration.
Kennedy, who had already served 90 days in jail prior to the sentencing, was released with a good behavior bond after pleading guilty to lesser charges of theft and burglary. Both women expressed relief upon hearing their sentences, though they declined to comment outside the courtroom.