Aggressive security guards and a freezer bag full of cocaine: What it was allegedly really like to party with the ‘kidnapper' crypto bros

New York Post

a day ago

Before they allegedly kidnapped and tortured an Italian tourist at a swanky Soho townhouse, high-rolling crypto bros John Woeltz and William Duplessie were rolling up to Manhattan's trendiest nightclubs with their own security detail — and looking for 'Instagram baddies' flaunting Brazilian butt lifts, according to two women who partied with them.
A nightlife source claimed that the pair — who have been arrested on charges including the kidnapping and assault of Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan — were using Charlie Zakkour, a club kid turned crypto trader who is one of the stars of the upcoming Bravo reality show 'Next Gen NYC,' as a connection to set them up at exclusive clubs.
The source alleged that Zakkour reached out to her in early March to say he knew 'big' crypto guys who were staying at the Mercer Hotel and wanted to spend around $30K at Paul's Baby Grand, the lounge opened by actress Chloë Sevingy brother, Paul Sevigny.
8 Before they allegedly kidnapped and tortured an Italian tourist at a swanky Soho townhouse, high-rolling crypto bros William Duplessie (left) and John Woeltz (right) were rolling up to Manhattan's trendiest nightclubs with their own security detail.
TMZ / BACKGRID
But Woeltz, 37, and Duplessie, 33, 'ended up changing their mind and picked a sh–ty commercial club, Nebula, because they just wanted to be seen — to just be flashy. Nebula is extravagant.'
At Nebula, the source claimed, the duo spent '$100K on bottles. They had the front table.'
Duplessie immediately got comfortable at the nightclub, the source alleged: 'The first time I met Will at Nebula, he was shirtless with sunglasses and smoking a cigar.'
And the duo 'had four security guards with them at all times. I met Kate Moss and even she doesn't do that,' the source sniffed. 'You could tell they were trying to prove something.You can tell they're posers.'
8 One of the exclusive nightclubs where the duo partied was The Box.
Bre Johnson/BFA.com/Shutterstock
An attorney for Duplessie had no comment. Woeltz's lawyer did not respond to a request for comment, and The Post has attempted to reach Zakkour.
The source claimed that, while with Duplessie and Woeltz — who reportedly calls himself the 'Crypto King of Kentucky' and has boasted of holding $100 million in digital currency — she 'saw a lot of blow … Tusi, ketamine.'
The source was also asked to wrangle other girls to hang out with the duo.
'They wanted Instagram baddies with tons of followers and BBLs [Brazilian butt lifts]. They wanted girls who were not drinking age, like 19,' the source alleged, adding that she roped in six female friends to hang out with Woeltz and Duplessie.
8 Duplessie has become known on the nightlife scene for partying without his shirt.
TMZ / BACKGRID
8 Duplessie 'didn't really talk to a girl unless he wanted to hook up with her,' a source said behavior at parties and clubs.
Gregory P. Mango
But things 'got weird,' the source said, when 'Charlie just started being so rude — saying [the girls] were not hot enough. This was Charlie on [Woeltz and Duplessie's] behalf. This was around the time I started questioning my friendship with him.
'Will and John always had other people doing the talking for them. Will didn't really talk to a girl unless he wanted to hook up with her. John was always giving me a creepy vibe. He didn't seem really happy to be there.'
When the two did speak, the source said, 'Pretty much all they talked about was how much money they have.'
8 Woeltz reportedly rented the townhouse where the duo spent lavishly on parties — and where they allegedly tortured an Italian tourist to try and claim his $30 million crypto wallet.
Michael Nagle
Another party girl who hung out with Woeltz and Duplessie told The Post that she met them when a promoter from The Box invited her and some other young women to an April after-party at the Soho townhouse Woeltz was renting.
It's also where Carturan claims he was held against his will for 17 days, from May 6 to 23, and allegedly tortured for the password to his $30 million Bitcoin wallet.
'The promoters put us all in this Sprinter van. When we got to the apartment, there was security everywhere. There was a girl doing coat check. I've never seen anything like that. Workers serving the food and drinks — Don Julio 1942, Grey Goose,' the party girl claimed.
8 Woeltz was arrested at the Prince Street townhouse on May 24.
Paul Martinka
8 A source said she attended one of Woeltz and Duplessie's parties at the townhouse, where cocaine was allegedly served on a platter.
TMZ / BACKGRID
There were even velvet ropes keeping guests from parts of the townhouse: 'The kitchen was roped off, the dining room was roped off, the stairs were roped off.'
Duplessie — who was shirtless — was DJing, the party girl said, when 'a girl I was with took a selfie. I don't know if it was Will or a security guard, but someone immediately jumped at her and said, 'You can't take any pictures.' It was a big deal.'
But there was plenty of illicit behavior to photograph, she claimed. 'There was a big metal platter on a table in the basement. Will brought a freezer bag full of cocaine and poured it all on as if it was nothing and walked away. It was actually insane. It was a freezer bag of cocaine worth my tuition in college or more.'
8 Italian tourist Michael Valentino Teofrasto Cartura claimed to have been held against his will for weeks.
WNBC
The party left after an hour or so, she said, because 'there was no politeness, there was no small talk. I felt like a piece of meat.'
The nightlife source, meanwhile, said that after a week of back-to-back partying at clubs with Woeltz and Duplessie, 'I cut them off. Just because the vibes were off. It felt shady.'
But it was too late — the duo were integrated into the city's nightlife scene, frequenting places like Nebula, Hearsay and The Box.
'I really regretted putting them onto the people and the places I know after I couldn't escape them anywhere,' the source said. ''When I kept seeing them out they had tons and tons of girls by their side. I had friends who would see them out and report back to me how they were acting.
'Will was still shirtless with sunglasses.'