""The modus operandi, the masterminds - often based abroad - and the targeting methods vary, with the names of targets sometimes revealed to henchmen at the last moment.""
""The phenomenon of crypto-related abductions, still 'marginal' in 2024, gained momentum in 2025 when around 30 cases were reported.""
""In a particularly grisly case from January 2025, kidnappers seized French crypto boss David Balland, co-founder of a crypto firm called Ledger, valued at the time at more than $1 billion.""
Since January, France has reported more than 40 cases of kidnappings and hostage situations related to cryptocurrencies. Criminals are increasingly targeting wealthy individuals and their families for ransom. The methods and masterminds behind these crimes vary, often involving individuals based abroad. In 2025, the number of reported cases increased significantly, with notable incidents including the kidnapping of a woman and her son for a crypto ransom. Law enforcement has responded with operations leading to arrests and rescues in several cases.
Read at The Local France
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