Overview

• John Woeltz, a U.S. cryptocurrency investor, has been charged with kidnapping, assault, and unlawful imprisonment after allegedly torturing an Italian trader for weeks in Manhattan.
• The victim, Michael Vanlentino Teofrasto Carturan, escaped on May 23 and alerted a traffic agent, leading to Woeltz’s arrest and the discovery of torture equipment at the SoHo property.
• Prosecutors allege Woeltz lured the victim to New York under false pretenses, seized his passport, and subjected him to physical and psychological torture to obtain his Bitcoin password.
• Beatrice Folchi, initially detained as a suspect, was released without charges pending further investigation, while a Swiss co-conspirator is expected to surrender to authorities this week.
• The case highlights a disturbing rise in violent 'wrench attacks' targeting cryptocurrency holders, with global incidents increasing sharply in 2025.