France makes arrests over cryptocurrency kidnapping
French authorities have been dealing with a string of kidnappings and extorsion attempts targeting the families of high-worth individuals dealing in cryptocurrencies.
The most recent suspects, apprehended on Tuesday, according to the source, are believed to have been part of an attempt to extort funds from a wealthy man by abducting his father.
On 1 May, he was taken in Paris's southern 14th arrondissement in broad daylight by four men wearing ski masks who bundled him into a delivery van as passers-by looked on.
The kidnappers demanded a ransom of several million euros and cut off one of the man's fingers.
He was freed days later by a police tactical unit who stormed the house in a Paris suburb where he was being held.
There was no word on Wednesday on the exact number or the locations of the arrests. The suspects can be held up to 96 hours without charges being brought.
Since the start of the year crypto-related kidnappings and abduction attempt haves sparked concern about the security of wealthy crypto tycoons, who have notched up immense fortunes from the booming alternative currency business.
One prominent cryptocurrency entrepreneur urged authorities to "stop the Mexicanisation of France" -- a reference to kidnappings by violent organised crime groups.
The spate of abductions began in January, when kidnappers seized French crypto boss David Balland and his partner. Balland co-founded the crypto firm Ledger, valued at the time at more than $1 billion.
Balland's kidnappers cut off his finger and demanded a hefty ransom. He was freed the next day, and his girlfriend was found tied up in the boot of a car outside Paris.
The suspected mastermind of that operation and other similar attacks, 24-year-old Badiss Mohamed Amide Bajjou, was last week arrested in Tangier, Morocco.
At least nine suspects are under investigation in that case.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
2 days ago
- The Citizen
Prosecutors call for PSG's Achraf Hakimi to face rape trial
Although the woman refused to make a formal accusation, prosecutors decided to press charges against the player. French prosecutors on Friday called for Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi to face trial for the alleged rape of a woman in 2023 which the Moroccan international denies. The Nanterre prosecutor's office told AFP that they had requested that the investigating judge refer the rape charge to a criminal court. 'It is now up to the investigating magistrate to make a decision within the framework of his order,' the prosecutor's office told AFP in a statement. Hakimi, 26, played a major role in PSG's run to their first Champions League title, the full-back scoring the opener in the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in the final in May. Hakimi, who helped Morocco to their historic progress to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, was charged in March, 2023 with raping a 24-year-old woman. Hakimi allegedly paid for his accuser to travel to his home on February 25, 2023, in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt while his wife and children were away on holiday. The woman went to a police station following the encounter alleging rape and was questioned by police. Although the woman refused to make a formal accusation, prosecutors decided to press charges against the player. She told police at the time that she had met Hakimi in January 2023 on Instagram. On the night in question she said she had travelled to his house in a taxi paid for by Hakimi. She told police Hakimi had started kissing her and making non-consensual sexual advances, before raping her, a police source told AFP at the time. She said she managed to break free to text a friend who came to pick her up. – 'Attempted extortion' – Contacted by AFP after Friday's development Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin described the call by prosecutors for a trial as 'incomprehensible and senseless in light of the case's elements'. 'We, along with Achraf Hakimi, remain as calm as we were at the start of the proceedings. 'If these requisitions were to be followed, we would obviously pursue all avenues of appeal,' she continued. According to Colin, her client had 'been the target of an attempted extortion'. 'Nothing in this case suggests an attempted extortion,' Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the woman, said. 'My client welcomes this news with immense relief,' she told AFP. 'We will not tolerate any smear or destabilisation campaign, as is unfortunately still too often the case for women who have the courage to report the rape of which they are victims,' she added. The son of a cleaning lady and a street vendor, both Moroccans who have lived in Spain since the 1980s, Hakimi was born in Getafe, a southern suburb of Madrid. Hakimi came through the youth system at Real Madrid before joining Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in 2018. He went on to make 73 appearances for the German club. He moved to Inter Milan in 2020 and then on to PSG in 2021 where he has established himself as an integral part of the team. In Qatar, Hakimi was a cornerstone of the Morocco team that became the first African or Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
eNCA
2 days ago
- eNCA
Prosecutors call for PSG's Achraf Hakimi to face rape trial
PARIS - French prosecutors on Friday called for Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi to face trial for the alleged rape of a woman in 2023 which the Moroccan international denies. The Nanterre prosecutor's office told AFP that they had requested that the investigating judge refer the rape charge to a criminal court. "It is now up to the investigating magistrate to make a decision within the framework of his order," the prosecutor's office told AFP in a statement. Hakimi, 26, played a major role in PSG's run to their first Champions League title, the full-back scoring the opener in the 5-0 rout of Inter Milan in the final in May. Hakimi, who helped Morocco to their historic progress to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, was charged in March, 2023 with raping a 24-year-old woman. Hakimi allegedly paid for his accuser to travel to his home on February 25, 2023, in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt while his wife and children were away on holiday. The woman went to a police station following the encounter alleging rape and was questioned by police. Although the woman refused to make a formal accusation, prosecutors decided to press charges against the player. She told police at the time that she had met Hakimi in January 2023 on Instagram. On the night in question she said she had travelled to his house in a taxi paid for by Hakimi. She told police Hakimi had started kissing her and making non-consensual sexual advances, before raping her, a police source told AFP at the time. She said she managed to break free to text a friend who came to pick her up. 'Attempted extortion' Contacted by AFP after Friday's development Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin described the call by prosecutors for a trial as "incomprehensible and senseless in light of the case's elements". "We, along with Achraf Hakimi, remain as calm as we were at the start of the proceedings. "If these requisitions were to be followed, we would obviously pursue all avenues of appeal," she continued. According to Colin, her client had "been the target of an attempted extortion". "Nothing in this case suggests an attempted extortion," Rachel-Flore Pardo, the lawyer representing the woman, said. "My client welcomes this news with immense relief," she told AFP. "We will not tolerate any smear or destabilisation campaign, as is unfortunately still too often the case for women who have the courage to report the rape of which they are victims," she added. The son of a cleaning lady and a street vendor, both Moroccans who have lived in Spain since the 1980s, Hakimi was born in Getafe, a southern suburb of Madrid. Hakimi came through the youth system at Real Madrid before joining Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund in 2018. He went on to make 73 appearances for the German club. He moved to Inter Milan in 2020 and then on to PSG in 2021 where he has established himself as an integral part of the team. In Qatar, Hakimi was a cornerstone of the Morocco team that became the first African or Arab nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup.
eNCA
6 days ago
- eNCA
Telegram's Durov questioned in France over alleged illegal content on app
PARIS - Telegram founder Pavel Durov faced questioning by investigating magistrates in Paris about the platform's alleged complicity in criminal activity, sources close to the case said. Durov was sensationally detained in Paris in 2024 and is under formal investigation by French authorities over illegal content on his popular messaging service. Arriving at the Paris courthouse with four of his lawyers, the Russian-born entrepreneur faced his third round of questioning since being charged with multiple infractions linked to enabling organised crime. Durov, who holds French and Russian passports, has been accused of complicity in running an online platform that allowed illicit transactions, child sex abuse images and other illegal content. Durov has denied the claims, and his lawyers said in a statement that Monday's full-day session allowed Durov "to provide additional explanations demonstrating the inanity of the facts that are the subject of the investigation". In his initial questioning in December 2024, Durov denied creating Telegram for illicit use but acknowledged a growing criminal presence on the platform, and pledged to strengthen moderation. French judicial authorities have noted an improvement in cooperation with Telegram since Durov's arrest, sources involved in organised crime cases told AFP. Durov, who was initially banned from leaving France, had his judicial control relaxed from early July, allowing him to reside in the United Arab Emirates for a maximum of two weeks at a time. "We firmly contest the legality of our client's indictment and that of the numerous investigative acts carried out in defiance of domestic and European law," his lawyers said in their statement Monday. The lawyers have also filed a legal challenge in France to test the constitutionality of the case, along with a request for a preliminary ruling from the European Union's top court, according to the same source.
