Suspected mastermind of French crypto kidnappings held in Morocco
A 24-year-old Franco-Moroccan man suspected of masterminding a series of kidnappings targeting cryptocurrency entrepreneurs in France has been arrested in Morocco, France said.
Badiss Mohamed Amide Bajjou was wanted by the French authorities and was the subject of an Interpol red notice for 'arrest, kidnapping, false imprisonment or arbitrary detention of a hostage.'
The suspect was arrested in the northern Moroccan city of Tangier, according to a statement from the country's General Directorate for National Security carried by Moroccan state news agency MAP.
France has been shaken by a series of kidnappings and attempted abductions targeting cryptocurrency bosses and their families in recent months, prompting one prominent crypto entrepreneur to call on authorities to 'stop the Mexicanization' of the country.
'I sincerely thank Morocco for this arrest, which demonstrates excellent judicial cooperation between our two countries, particularly in the fight against organized crime,' French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin said on X.
A native of Le Chesnay west of Paris, Bajjou is suspected of being one of the masterminds behind the high-profile kidnapping in January of French crypto boss David Balland and his partner, according to French daily Le Parisien.
Balland co-founded the crypto firm Ledger, valued at the time at more than $1 billion. Balland's finger was cut off by his kidnappers, who demanded a hefty ransom.
Last week French authorities charged 25 people, including six minors, over the series of kidnappings and attempted abductions.
The crimes have become a major embarrassment for the French government and have sparked concern about the security of wealthy crypto tycoons, who have notched up immense fortunes from the booming business.
In May, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau held an emergency meeting with cryptocurrency leaders, with the ministry announcing plans to bolster their security.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
16 hours ago
- Arab News
International community has duty to help achieve a Palestinian state, UN chief tells Arab News
NEW YORK CITY: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday told Arab News that the international community has a duty to do everything in its power to pursue a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and to bring about the conditions that can make it happen. 'It is absolutely essential to keep alive the two-state solution perspective, with all the terrible things we are witnessing in Gaza and the West Bank,' he said. 'And for those who have doubts about the two-state solution, I ask what is the alternative? Is it a one-state solution in which either the Palestinians are expelled or the Palestinians will be forced to live on their land without rights? That would be totally unacceptable. 'I firmly believe that it is the duty of the international community to do everything to keep the two-state solution alive and then to materialize the conditions to make it happen.' His comments came as Saudi Arabia and France prepare to co-chair a global conference this month in an attempt to hasten the implementation of a two-state solution and end decades of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. The effort gained further international support this week amid worsening conditions in Gaza as a result of Israel's continuing intensification of military operations following the collapse in March of a previous ceasefire agreement with Hamas, and its decision to block humanitarian aid from entering the territory. These actions have resulted in thousands of Palestinian deaths, the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, further mass displacements, and severe risk of famine, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, an initiative that aims to improve food security analysis and decision-making. The devastating toll of Israel's resumed assault on Gaza has sparked international anger, and Arab representatives have said the upcoming conference must look beyond mere diplomacy and deliver tangible steps on a path toward peace. Speaking at a meeting of the UN General Assembly this month in preparation for the forum, Saudi Arabia said official recognition of the State of Palestine was a 'strategic necessity' as 'the cornerstone of a new regional order based on mutual recognition and coexistence.' It added: 'Regional peace begins with recognizing the State of Palestine, not as a symbolic gesture but as a strategic necessity.' The high-level conference, scheduled to take place from June 17 to 20 at the UN headquarters in New York, aims to urgently adopt concrete measures to achieve the implementation of a two-state solution. Palestine is officially recognized by 147 of the UN's 193 member states and has held the status of nonmember observer state within the organization since 2012, but has not been granted full membership. More than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israeli authorities unleashed its military operations in Gaza following a Hamas-led attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel in October 2023. On Wednesday, Guterres led a solemn tribute to 168 UN workers killed during 2024, describing the ceremony as not only a moment of mourning but a call for global reflection on the dangers faced by humanitarian workers. Of those who were honored, 126 were killed in Gaza and all but one of them served with the UN Relief and Works Agency. Guterres said 2024 was the deadliest year for UN staff in the organization's history and added: 'More than one in every 50 UNRWA staff in Gaza has been killed in this atrocious conflict. Some were killed delivering life-saving aid, others alongside their families, and others while shielding the vulnerable.' Families of the fallen were present at the annual memorial ceremony, during which Guterres described those who lost their lives as 'extraordinary individuals, each one a story of courage, compassion and service.' He emphasized the enduring commitment of UN workers despite growing global instability and said: 'They do not seek recognition. They seek to make a difference. When conflict erupts, they work for peace. When rights are violated, they speak out.' Guterres condemned the targeting of humanitarian workers and civilians in conflict zones and warned against what he called a growing tolerance for impunity. 'We will not accept the killing of UN personnel, of humanitarians, journalists, medical workers, or civilians as the new normal,' he said. 'There must be no room for impunity.' Despite increasing criticism of international institutions and growing shortfalls in funding for aid, Guterres said the dedication of UN staff remains unwavering. 'In a world where cooperation is under strain, we must remember the example set by our fallen colleagues,' he added. He pledged to uphold the core values of the UN, stating: 'We will not waver in our principles. We will not abandon our values. And we will never, ever give up.'
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Detained Greenpeace activists to face judge over Macron waxwork
PARIS: Two Greenpeace activists who stole French President Emmanuel Macron's waxwork from a Paris museum to stage anti-Russia protests have been detained and were set to appear before an investigating judge on Thursday, their lawyer and prosecutors Monday, several activists stole a 40,000-euro statue of Macron from the Grevin Museum and placed it in front of the Russian embassy and later outside the headquarters of French electricity giant EDF to protest France's economic ties with statue, estimated to be worth 40,000 euros ($45,500), was returned to police on Tuesday night but two activists, a man and a woman, were detained on Monday, their lawyer Marie Dose Julliard, head of Greenpeace France, said that the detained pair were people who drove a truck during the protest in front of the Russian embassy, and not those who 'borrowed' the statue from the museum.'They have spent three nights in a cell,' said Dose, denouncing the detention as 'completely disproportionate.'The lawyer denounced the 'deplorable' conditions in which the two activists were being held, 'attached to benches for hours and dragged from police station to police station.'One activist spent the night without a blanket and was unable to lie down because her cell was too small, the lawyer said.'The other had to sleep on the floor because there were too many people in the cell,' she added.'This treatment is worrying for Greenpeace activists and raises the question of a dangerous shift in the criminal response to acts of civil disobedience,' she pair will appear before an investigating magistrate on Thursday as part of a judicial inquiry into the 'theft of a cultural object on display,' the Paris prosecutor's office told judge will decide whether to charge lawyer argued that 'no harm resulted from the non-violent action,' arguing that 'all offenses' ceased to exist once the statue has been returned to the Grevin Museum filed a complaint on Monday but subsequently took the matter in good humor. 'The figures can only be viewed on site,' it said on its Instagram activists managed to slip out through an emergency exit of the museum by posing as maintenance workers.
Al Arabiya
a day ago
- Al Arabiya
Suspect in murder of Tunisian man to appear before French judge: Prosecutors
A Frenchman accused of murdering his Tunisian neighbor in the south of France will appear before an anti-terrorism judge on Thursday, the national anti-terror prosecutor's office said. Christophe B. is accused of killing Hichem Miraoui in an attack Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau described as both 'racist' and 'anti-Muslim.' Anti-terrorism prosecutors have taken over the case, the first time a far-right racist attack has been treated as a 'terrorist' offense since the unit was created in 2019.
