- The kidnappers reportedly demanded between 5-7 million euros (up to $7.9 million) for the victim’s release.
- This incident joins a growing trend of cryptocurrency-related kidnappings globally, including recent cases in Canada, the US, and involving Ledger co-founder David Balland.
French police successfully freed the father of a cryptocurrency entrepreneur who was held captive for ransom in Paris. The rescue operation on May 3 resulted in five arrests, according to Le Monde. The kidnappers reportedly demanded between 5 million and 7 million euros (approximately $7.9 million) for the man’s release.
The victim and his son, whose identities remain undisclosed likely for security reasons, co-own a cryptocurrency marketing firm based in Malta. Le Parisien covered the story, noting the substantial ransom demand that prompted the law enforcement intervention.
This incident bears striking similarities to the January 2025 kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland in France, who was also held for cryptocurrency ransom until freed by police in a rescue operation.
Rising Trend of Crypto-Related Kidnappings
The Paris incident joins a troubling pattern of cryptocurrency-related abductions targeting individuals perceived to control substantial digital assets. In November 2024, WonderFi CEO Dean Skurka was kidnapped in downtown Toronto and forced to pay a $1 million cryptocurrency ransom to his abductors.
More recently, six individuals in Chicago were charged in February 2025 with kidnapping a family and their nanny, holding them captive for five days while forcing them to surrender $15 million worth of cryptocurrency. According to FBI reports, the suspects gained entry by pretending they had accidentally damaged the family’s mechanical garage door.
Expanding Criminal Tactics
The targeting of cryptocurrency holders has expanded beyond kidnapping. In March 2025, online streamer Amouranth became a victim of a home invasion in Texas, where armed suspects held her at gunpoint demanding access to her cryptocurrency holdings. Four suspects were subsequently arrested and charged.
Law enforcement agencies worldwide continue to grapple with these emerging criminal tactics that specifically target individuals in the cryptocurrency sector, highlighting the unique security challenges faced by those perceived to hold significant digital assets.
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