Feds search Kentucky estate owned by SoHo crypto torture suspects
A Kentucky estate owned by two men accused of torturing an Italian man in SoHo over a Bitcoin password was raided by a team of investigators Tuesday.
New York City cops joined federal officials and Kentucky State Police to go through a property belonging to cryptocurrency investor John Woeltz and his associate William Duplessie, according to TMZ.
Investigators reportedly have two warrants for an 'active and ongoing investigation' involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Woeltz, 37, and Duplessie, 33, are accused of luring 28-year-old Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan from Italy to Manhattan, then violently keeping him under their control for 17 days before he seemingly escaped their downtown townhouse bloodied and wearing no shoes. Some photos obtained by TMZ call into question how much resistance Caturan offered at certain points in the ordeal.
TMZ said one image showed him unrestrained and seemingly using crack cocaine in what appeared to be a party atmosphere. But prosecutors claim Carturan's wrists were bound and he was subjected to 'beatings including but not limited to the use of electric wires to shock him' as well as being assaulted with a firearm that was sometimes pointed at his head.
The alleged assailants are also accused of using a saw to cut his leg and urinating on him.
Carturan said he was relieved of his passport and electronic devices upon arrival on the Prince Street property. He escaped when one of his captors left him alone to get a laptop so he could enter the passport the suspects wanted.
Woeltz is known as the 'Crypto King of Kentucky,' according to TMZ.
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