A spate of kidnappings targeting people who have made their fortunes in cryptocurrencies has recently occurred in France. Most recently, a man in Paris was kidnapped to demand nearly $8 million in ransom for his son, a cryptocurrency millionaire.
Paris police (France) on May 3 launched a raid in the Essonne neighborhood, a southern suburb of the city, controlling four suspects and rescuing a man who had been held hostage for the past two days.
The victim’s identity has not been released, but prosecutors have confirmed that he is the father of a cryptocurrency millionaire. The victim and his son co-own a cryptocurrency promotion company in Malta and have faced several threats. After kidnapping the father, the suspects demanded a ransom of 7 million euros (about 8 million USD).
Investigators said the suspects had cut off one of the victim’s fingers and sent it to her family to pressure them. Police decided to raid because they feared the longer they waited, the more torture they would inflict on the victim. French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau praised the Paris police for their decisive action.
There have been a number of kidnappings targeting people who have made their fortunes in cryptocurrencies in France recently. David Balland, co-founder of cryptocurrency company Ledger, was kidnapped with his wife on January 21. The kidnappers also cut off one of Balland’s fingers to put pressure on his relatives.
After police successfully rescued Balland, they found his wife tied up in the trunk of a car in the Essonne area. Nine suspects have been investigated in the case.
In early January, a 56-year-old man was kidnapped and found in the trunk of a car near the city of Mans. French media later reported that the victim’s son, who lived in Dubai, frequently bragged on social media about his huge profits from cryptocurrencies.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
