Overview

• David Balland, cofounder of crypto security firm Ledger, and his wife were kidnapped from their home in Méreau, France on Tuesday morning.
• The kidnappers demanded a significant ransom in cryptocurrency and sent a video of Balland's mutilated finger as proof of their threats.
• French authorities, including over 230 gendarmes and the GIGN, conducted a multi-location operation, rescuing Balland in Châteauroux and his wife, found bound in a car trunk in Étampes.
• Ten suspects, aged 20 to 40, have been arrested, with seven facing potential charges for organized kidnapping, torture, and extortion.
• Most of the ransom was recovered and frozen, and investigations continue to identify any potential masterminds behind the crime.