Saturday, March 29, 2025
A disturbing rise in cryptocurrency millionaire kidnappings France has forced police to act. In the latest case, kidnappers chopped off a man’s finger to extort money from his crypto-rich son.
Four masked men abducted a 60-year-old man on Thursday morning in Paris’s 14th arrondissement. They forced him into a van and took him to a house 20km south of the city. He co-owns a crypto marketing firm with his son.
The attackers held him for over two days. During that time, they cut off one of his fingers. Police feared they would cause more harm if they didn’t intervene quickly. Armed officers rescued him on Saturday night during a raid in Essonne.
They arrested five men in their 20s at the scene. The attackers had demanded €5–7 million from the victim’s son, but the family did not pay.
The French prosecutor confirmed the motive was ransom. The victim’s wife told police that her husband and son had received threats before.
This case adds to a growing list of cryptocurrency millionaire kidnappings France. In January, attackers kidnapped David Balland, co-founder of the crypto firm Ledger. They entered his home near Bourges, tied up his partner, and took him to another house. There, they severed one of his fingers and demanded €10 million in cryptocurrency.
Balland’s business partner contacted police after receiving a video of the severed finger. Officers rescued Balland shortly after. They later found his partner tied up in a car trunk in Essonne.
Criminals have also targeted other crypto figures in Europe. In December, attackers kidnapped the father of a French crypto influencer. They tied up the man’s wife and daughter and forced him into a car. The influencer contacted police after receiving a ransom demand. Authorities rescued his family. They found the father beaten and tied up in a car boot in Normandy.
Similar crimes have been reported in Spain and Belgium. These attacks suggest a coordinated crime wave targeting crypto wealth.
Police say criminals see crypto entrepreneurs as easy targets. Digital assets are fast, anonymous, and hard to trace. That makes them ideal for ransom.
French police are now working with other European agencies. They aim to stop this wave of violent crime against the crypto community.
