Latest news with #Balland
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
France makes arrests over cryptocurrency kidnapping
French police have arrested several people suspected of involvement in last month's kidnapping of the father of a wealthy cryptocurrency entrepreneur, a source close to the case said Wednesday. 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 May 1, 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 (dollars) 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 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. Last month, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau held an emergency meeting with cryptocurrency leaders, with the ministry announcing plans to bolster their security. asl/jh/sjw/cw
eNCA
11-06-2025
- eNCA
France makes arrests over cryptocurrency kidnapping
PARIS - French police have arrested several people suspected of involvement in last month's kidnapping of the father of a wealthy cryptocurrency entrepreneur, a source close to the case said on Wednesday. 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.
The Sun
11-06-2025
- The Sun
France makes arrests over cryptocurrency kidnapping
PARIS: French police have arrested several people suspected of involvement in last month's kidnapping of the father of a wealthy cryptocurrency entrepreneur, a source close to the case said Wednesday. 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 May 1, 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 (dollars) 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 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. Last month, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau held an emergency meeting with cryptocurrency leaders, with the ministry announcing plans to bolster their security.
France 24
11-06-2025
- France 24
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 May 1, 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 (dollars) 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 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.
LeMonde
04-06-2025
- Business
- LeMonde
Suspected mastermind of French crypto kidnappings arrested 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, French authorities said. The country 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 France. 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. "I sincerely thank Morocco for this arrest, which demonstrates excellent judicial cooperation between our two countries, particularly in the fight against organised crime," French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said on X. Darmanin did not release further details but reposted a report in French daily Le Parisien which said authorities believe that Bajjou might have organized a series of kidnappings and abduction attempts from abroad. 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 Le Parisien. Balland co-founded the cryptocurrency firm Ledger, which was valued at the time at more than $1 billion. Balland's finger was cut off by his kidnappers, who demanded a hefty ransom. At least nine suspects are under investigation in that case. Another ringleader? The French authorities are also probing Bajjou's possible involvement in the series of kidnappings or attempted kidnappings in May, Le Parisien said. In footage that went viral on social media, several masked men attacked a pregnant daughter of cryptocurrency entrepreneur Pierre Noizat, her husband and their child in broad daylight in the French capital's hip 11 th arrondissement in mid-May. The attackers fled after the family put up resistance and a local attacked the men with a fire extinguisher. In early May, attackers also abducted a crypto-millionaire's father, who was later rescued by police. According to Le Parisien, another Franco-Moroccan man in his forties is believed to be behind the kidnapping plots. He remains at large. The Morocco-based men are thought to have been recruiting youngsters online to carry out criminal offenses in France. French authorities have made a series of arrests, but the suspects detained until now are thought to have been those involved in carrying out the abductions or in logistics. Last week, French authorities charged 25 people aged between 16 and 23 in connection with the kidnappings and attempted abductions. Most of the suspects were born in France and others in Senegal, Angola and Russia. 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.
