5-5-2025 – French authorities have successfully rescued a kidnapping victim in a late-night operation on Saturday.
The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, was subjected to brutal torture reminiscent of recent attacks on crypto-industry figures. In a particularly barbaric act, his captors severed one of his fingers – a method eerily similar to the assault on French cryptocurrency pioneer David Balland, co-founder of Ledger.
The brazen abduction unfolded at half-past ten on Thursday morning in Paris’s 14th arrondissement, where five perpetrators – four masked assailants and their getaway driver – bundled the victim into a delivery vehicle. The kidnappers, all in their twenties, were apprehended before any ransom exchanged hands, despite their demands for between €5-7 million.
According to police sources cited by Le Monde, the victim’s family had previously faced cryptocurrency-related threats. Both the rescued man and his son operate a Malta-based cryptocurrency marketing enterprise, suggesting a targeted attack rather than a random incident.
This assault mirrors a disturbing pattern of violence against individuals perceived to possess substantial cryptocurrency holdings. Earlier this year, a Canadian investor was forced to seek refuge following a similar ordeal, where attackers, misled by his social media presence, believed he possessed $2.5 million in digital assets. In reality, his portfolio was valued at merely $100,000.
