French Police Probe Cryptocurrency Kidnapping Following Man’s Rescue
Authorities have arrested seven individuals following the abduction of a cryptocurrency investor’s father in Paris on May 1, who was held captive for two days before a rescue operation.
French prosecutors are currently looking into the kidnapping of an unnamed father of a cryptocurrency investor, who was saved by the police near Paris on May 3.
In connection with the case, seven suspects have been apprehended.
In a statement released on May 4, the Paris prosecutor’s office noted, “The victim was identified as the father of a man who accumulated wealth through cryptocurrencies, and a ransom demand accompanied the incident.”
The prosecutor’s office reported that the man was taken on the morning of May 1 and was held for two days before being rescued from a location in the Essonne region, to the south of Paris.
According to the prosecutor’s office, four suspects were detained in or near the house, while a fifth was caught in a vehicle.
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On Sunday, two more individuals were taken into custody.
This incident seems to mark a recent trend in criminal activities aimed at extorting individuals who own digital assets.
Regarding the latest case, the prosecutor’s office mentioned that the victim received treatment for his injuries but did not provide further details, amid reports from the French media indicating that one of his fingers had been cut off.
Those apprehended will face several criminal charges, including abduction involving “torture or a barbaric act,” according to the prosecutor’s office.
Gardon explained that the assailants, wearing balaclavas, attacked Thursday morning, forcibly taking the victim as he left his residence in Paris to walk his dog.
Passersby notified the police, who subsequently initiated an investigation.
Gardon mentioned that the gang sent a video to the man’s son, depicting the victim’s mutilated state, along with another video showing him bound. They then demanded several million euros in ransom.
‘New Ultimatum’ From Kidnappers
The police chief stated his team arrived at the Essonne location on Saturday night.
“We reached there just minutes before a new ultimatum was issued, during which the victim could have suffered further mutilation,” he added.
Gardon shared that he waited anxiously at the headquarters in Paris until he received the code word “jackpot” from the police’s Search and Intervention Brigade (BRI), indicating that the victim had been safely recovered.
“It was obviously a huge relief,” he remarked to RTL.
In the January incident, Balland and his wife were kidnapped from their home in the Cher region of central France.
Police stated that the kidnappers had demanded a cryptocurrency ransom from a colleague of Balland, another co-founder of Ledger.
However, Balland was eventually rescued by France’s National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN), known for its expertise in tackling hostage situations. His wife was freed the following day after being bound in a vehicle.
In 2022, Aiden Pleterski, who called himself the “Crypto King,” was kidnapped at gunpoint in downtown Toronto, beaten, and held for three days.
Recently, the prevalence of cryptocurrency frauds has surged, targeting unsuspecting investors who often risk their entire life savings.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
