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4mo ago

French Police Rescue Kidnapped Father of Crypto Millionaire in Violent Ransom Plot

Authorities freed the victim in a raid south of Paris after kidnappers severed his finger and demanded millions in cryptocurrency ransom.

French police freed the father of a crypto entrepreneur who had been kidnapped in Paris.
An employee watches an electronic signboard displaying the prices of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies at the lounge of Bithumb cryptocurrency exchange in Seoul, South Korea, in November.
Bitcoin emblem on a laptop
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Overview

  • The victim, abducted Thursday morning in Paris's 14th arrondissement, was rescued Saturday night in the Essonne region by specialized police units.
  • Five suspects, aged 20-27, were arrested during the raid, with two additional suspects detained the following day.
  • The kidnappers severed one of the victim's fingers and sent a video to his crypto-millionaire son, demanding €5–7 million in cryptocurrency ransom, which was not paid.
  • The incident is part of a growing trend of violent 'wrench attacks' targeting cryptocurrency entrepreneurs and their families in France and neighboring countries.
  • Prosecutors are investigating charges of kidnapping with torture, extortion, and criminal conspiracy, while examining potential links to other recent crypto-related abductions.