The French police have arrested several people in connection with the kidnapping of the father of a crypto entrepreneur. The man was held for a few days, with his finger being cut off as part of a release of 7 million euros.
The victim was liberated on 3 May during a targeted police action. Previously, that operation led to five arrests. Now suspects have been arrested again, the state channel reports’France 24. ‘ Exactly how many people have been arrested is still unknown, but they can be held for a maximum of 96 hours without a formal indictment.
Increase in crypto-related violence in France
Unfortunately, the case does not stand on its own. In the whole of 2025 there is a significant increase in crypto abnormalities worldwide, especially in France. According to security expert Jameson Lopp, this year, worldwide, at least 29 incidents have already been reported in which crypto owners were the target of violence or blackmail.
On 26 May, twelve people were arrested in Paris in connection with another crypto abduction. And on 4 June a main suspect was arrested in Morocco who, according to the judiciary, is behind several abductions.
Also family of Crypto CEO and influencer Amouranth target
On May 13, the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, CEO of Cryptoeker Paymium, was almost abducted in public. In the US, influencer Amouranth was overwhelmed in March by armed perpetrators who demanded access to her cryptowallet.
These incidents emphasize the increasing risk for people with visible crypto sessions. According to a study by the University of Cambridge, many of these types of attacks are not reported for fear of repetition.
Criminals still believe in anonymous crypto transactions
During the consensus conference in May Jonathan Levin, CEO of Chainalysis, indicated that many criminals still believe that cryptotransactions cannot be traced. That makes Crypto an attractive target for kidnappers and extortioners.
Nick Percoco, head of security at Kraken, warned on 5 June in a blog post that many users still miss basic knowledge about personal security. Especially during major crypto events, too few precautions are taken.
French government is taking measures against crypto abnormalities
The French Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleeau, has had discussions about stricter security rules for crypto owners. In addition, better training, risk consciousness and possibly even physical security for entrepreneurs in the sector are considered.
Authorities emphasize that safety and digital assets should go hand in hand. The increase in abductions shows that, despite technological progress, the crypto industry remains vulnerable to classical violence.
Source: https://newsbit.nl/franse-politie-arresteert-meerdere-verdachten-na-brute-crypto-ontvoering/
