Latest news with #Carturan
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Crypto kidnapping victim's dizzying view during alleged weeks-long torture ordeal
This is likely the dizzying view forced on crypto kidnapping victim Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan when he was allegedly dangled over a five-story staircase while being tortured for his Bitcoin password. Real estate photos of the eight-bedroom $21 million-dollar townhouse on Prince Street in SoHo where authorities said Carturan, 28, was abused and held captive for 17 days show the spiral, multi-level plunge he is believed to have faced during the harrowing ordeal. The native of Italy, who is worth $30 million, suffered serious injuries in the horrific episode, during which Manhattan prosecutors alleged he was tied to a chair with electrical wire, tased while standing in water, cut on his legs and arm with a chainsaw, urinated on and forced to take drugs. His accused tormentors — crypto entrepreneur John Woeltz and Swiss business man William Duplessie — also allegedly destroyed Carturan's passport. Carturan was rescued after he fled the townhouse barefoot on May 23 and flagged down a traffic cop for help. The former captive has already contacted the Italian consulate on the Upper East Side in order to get a new passport, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported. 'Only on Saturday did the first contacts take place between the family (who said little or nothing keeping the conditions and the account of what happened confidential) and the Italian Foreign Ministry,' according to the outlet. His family owns a herbalist shop, according to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. Carturan was living in Rivoli, a town in the city of Turin in northern Italy, with his family before venturing to the Big Apple on May 6 to meet Woeltz, according to authorities and sources. He had studied psychology before dropping out of school to trade crypto, the Italian press reported. He was apparently hoping to retrieve Bitcoin allegedly stolen from him by Woeltz and Duplessie, who then turned the tables, took him captive and threatened to kill him and his family unless he gave them the password to his bitcoin wallet, prosecutors said. Woeltz, 37, of Kentucky, is believed to be worth $100 million. Polaroids that were found at the property showed Carturan — who reportedly has a net worth of $30 million — with a gun pointed at his head and being forced to smoke crack cocaine, authorities said. The pair are due in court June 11.
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Crypto kidnapping victim's dizzying view during alleged weeks-long torture ordeal
This is likely the dizzying view forced on crypto kidnapping victim Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan when he was allegedly dangled over a five-story staircase while being tortured for his Bitcoin password. Real estate photos of the eight-bedroom $21 million-dollar townhouse on Prince Street in SoHo where authorities said Carturan, 28, was abused and held captive for 17 days show the spiral, multi-level plunge he is believed to have faced during the harrowing ordeal. The native of Italy, who is worth $30 million, suffered serious injuries in the horrific episode, during which Manhattan prosecutors alleged he was tied to a chair with electrical wire, tased while standing in water, cut on his legs and arm with a chainsaw, urinated on and forced to take drugs. Advertisement 3 This is the staircase the victim is believed to have been dangled over. Compas His accused tormentors — crypto entrepreneur John Woeltz and Swiss business man William Duplessie — also allegedly destroyed Carturan's passport. Carturan was rescued after he fled the townhouse barefoot on May 23 and flagged down a traffic cop for help. Advertisement 3 The victim dashed out of the house, barefoot, when his captor looked the other way, sources said. WNBC The former captive has already contacted the Italian consulate on the Upper East Side in order to get a new passport, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported. 'Only on Saturday did the first contacts take place between the family (who said little or nothing keeping the conditions and the account of what happened confidential) and the Italian Foreign Ministry,' according to the outlet. His family owns a herbalist shop, according to the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. Advertisement 3 John Woeltz of Kentucky was accused of torturing the victim for his Bitcoin password. Michael Nagle Carturan was living in Rivoli, a town in the city of Turin in northern Italy, with his family before venturing to the Big Apple on May 6 to meet Woeltz, according to authorities and sources. He had studied psychology before dropping out of school to trade crypto, the Italian press reported. He was apparently hoping to retrieve Bitcoin allegedly stolen from him by Woeltz and Duplessie, who then turned the tables, took him captive and threatened to kill him and his family unless he gave them the password to his bitcoin wallet, prosecutors said. Advertisement Woeltz, 37, of Kentucky, is believed to be worth $100 million. Polaroids that were found at the property showed Carturan — who reportedly has a net worth of $30 million — with a gun pointed at his head and being forced to smoke crack cocaine, authorities said. The pair are due in court June 11.
News18
3 days ago
- News18
The Rise And Fall Of Two Crypto Traders Who Tortured A Bitcoin Millionaire For His Password
Last Updated: From luxury rentals, private security and wild parties to a brutal $30 million Bitcoin ransom attempt, the twisted saga of John Woeltz and William Duplessie has stunned New York The Case That Shocked NYC A shocking crypto kidnapping case involving two self-styled traders has rocked New York. On May 23, Italian crypto millionaire Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan escaped from a luxury townhouse in New York's upscale SoHo neighbourhood, running barefoot onto a city street and flagging down a traffic officer, according to The New York Post. Carturan told police he had been kidnapped and held captive for nearly three weeks by John Woeltz and William Duplessie. Prosecutors alleged that during his captivity, Carturan was tortured with a chainsaw and tased while standing in water, and at one point was hung off a roof ledge in a bid to force him to reveal the password to his Bitcoin wallet, reportedly worth $30 million. According to ABC News, prosecutors said Woeltz and Duplessie lured Carturan to New York by threatening to have his family killed. Once he arrived, they allegedly stripped him of his passport and electronics, bound his wrists, beat him, shocked his feet, struck him in the head with a gun, cut his leg with a saw, urinated on him, and forcibly made him smoke crack cocaine. Prosecutors said Carturan eventually escaped after convincing his captors to retrieve his laptop so he could access his Bitcoin wallet. When Woeltz left to get the laptop, Carturan ran out and sought help. The Two Alleged Masterminds William Duplessie, 33, and John Woeltz, 37 — both self-styled crypto traders — had entered New York's luxury club scene months earlier. Woeltz, described as a seemingly mild-mannered Kentucky native, is estimated to have a net worth of $100 million. Duplessie, originally from Miami, Florida, left behind a trail of debts and legal troubles. According to The New York Post According to prosecutors, Duplessie also faced legal trouble in Switzerland, where he was accused of assaulting his fiancée. Buying Into NYC's Elite Nightlife According to The New York Post, Duplessie and Woeltz rented the Prince Street townhouse for between $30,000 and $40,000 a month and quickly entered New York's exclusive nightlife circuit. They gained access to some of the city's most high-end and selective clubs, including Nebula (a large Midtown mega-club), Hearsay and Gospël (both upscale lounges), The Box (an exclusive erotic nightclub), and Paul's Baby Grand (a fashionable downtown lounge popular with celebrities). The duo often used former club promoter Charlie Zakkour to secure entry into these venues. One woman told The New York Post that Zakkour reached out to her, saying he 'knew some wealthy crypto people staying at the Mercer Hotel who wanted to spend $30,000 at a popular lounge called Paul's Baby Grand." At one party, she recalled, 'William poured the entire bag full of cocaine onto a metal tray and casually walked away," adding, 'It was crazy because the amount of cocaine was worth the cost of my college tuition fee or even more." Another woman described arriving at one of their townhouse parties, where 'there was security everywhere, and a girl was checking coats at the entrance." She continued, 'I've never seen anything like that. Workers were serving the food and drinks — Don Julio 1942 and Grey Goose." She left soon after, saying, 'There was no politeness, there was no small talk. I felt like a piece of meat." Duplessie's spending inside these clubs was equally extravagant. One passerby told The New York Post, 'I've seen him drop $160,000." Another source said he would spend $100,000 on tables at The Box and Hearsay. A SoHo street vendor, identified as 'Dutch," said he regularly saw Woeltz dispose of 'maybe 50, 60 bottles — wine, vodka. Big bottles in plastic bags on the sidewalk." According to city 311 data cited by The New York Post, neighbours called in multiple noise complaints regarding the townhouse in early April. The Backstory Of Debt And Illusion While they flaunted immense wealth inside New York's club scene, Duplessie faced mounting lawsuits over unpaid rent, car leases and a crash lawsuit in Miami, according to The New York Post. Despite these legal troubles, he continued his lavish nightlife routine, with witnesses telling the outlet that he would sometimes claim he worked for the CIA while partying. How It All Came Crashing Down The alleged scheme ended abruptly with Carturan's escape. Both Duplessie and Woeltz were arrested and charged with kidnapping with intent to collect ransom, assault, and unlawful imprisonment. As of now, both men are being held without bail, according to The New York Post. According to ABC News, both suspects have pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors argued that Woeltz should be held without bail, citing his access to a private jet and helicopter. Duplessie's request for home detention in Florida with $1 million bail was denied by the judge. Woeltz has since been indicted by a grand jury, with his arraignment scheduled for June 11. If convicted of the top charge of kidnapping, both men face a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison. top videos View all Their assistant, Beatrice Folchi, 24, who was previously employed as a bottle girl at The Box, was also arrested after Carturan's escape. However, Manhattan District Attorney officials have declined to prosecute pending further investigation. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch told a New York media outlet that while Duplessie and Woeltz remain the only suspects for now, 'there may be others." Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : bitcoin crypto trading Kidnapping case New York Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: May 30, 2025, 18:35 IST News world The Rise And Fall Of Two Crypto Traders Who Tortured A Bitcoin Millionaire For His Password
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
Millionaire tortured in New York bitcoin blackmail plot as off-duty cops arrested
Police say an off duty detective drove the victim to a house of horrors after polaroid pictures were found of his torture. A pair of high-rolling crypto players – one dubbed the 'Crypto King of Kentucky' – allegedly tortured an Italian millionaire in a twisted bid to steal his Bitcoin, while using off-duty NYPD detectives with links to New York Mayor Eric Adams' security detail as their muscle. The crypto playboys allegedly extorted bitcoin in a blackmail plot having threatened to kill his family then lured him by promising to return stolen Bitcoin. Police say an off duty detective drove the victim from the airport to a SoHo townhouse of horrors. Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, 28, travelled from his home in Turin to Manhattan under the false promise of retrieving stolen cryptocurrency – only to be held hostage for 17 days. Prosecutors say Carturan, a wealthy crypto trader worth an estimated £24 million, had already handed over some of his Bitcoin after the accused – John Woeltz, 33, and William Duplessie, 37 – after threats to kill his family. The disturbing case took a darker turn this week as Manhattan prosecutors laid bare how Carturan was met at the airport by an NYPD officer moonlighting as private security and driven to the duo's sprawling eight-bedroom party pad in SoHo on May 6. There, he was allegedly imprisoned and subjected to brutal beatings, psychological torment and threats to his life as the pair tried to extort access to the rest of his digital fortune. Polaroid photos seized by police show the young Italian being pinned down with a crack pipe forced into his mouth, and in another harrowing image, held at gunpoint. Carturan's ordeal – involving threats to throw him off a staircase unless he revealed his Bitcoin password – ended only when he made a dramatic escape last weekend, prompting the arrest of Woeltz and the surrender of Duplessie after what sources say was a weekend of partying in the Hamptons. Inside the SoHo townhouse, police found a disturbing arsenal: a chainsaw, body armour, crack cocaine, night vision goggles, ballistic helmets, a loaded firearm – and a chilling collection of photographs documenting Carturan's captivity. It also emerged that a second NYPD detective had been moonlighting with the accused in an unauthorised capacity. Both officers, one of whom previously served on Mayor Adams' own protection team, have been placed on modified duty as the scandal deepens. Mayor Adams' press secretary, Kayla Mamelak Altus, said: 'Every city employee is expected to follow the law, including our officers, both on and off duty. We are disturbed by these allegations, and as soon as they came to our attention, the officers were placed on modified duty. The investigation is ongoing.' Carturan was taken to Bellevue Hospital following his escape and is understood to be recovering from the trauma. In court on Thursday, Woeltz's lawyer insisted his client – a college-educated tech entrepreneur with no prior convictions – should be released on $2 million bail, branding claims he owned a private jet and helicopter as 'fantasy'. But Judge Kevin McGrath was unmoved and ordered him held without bail until his next appearance on June 11. Sources say the accused lived a lavish lifestyle, blowing cash on bottle service in Manhattan nightclubs and throwing all-night raves in the same townhouse where they allegedly tormented Carturan. Both men now face a raft of serious charges as prosecutors continue to piece together one of the most shocking crypto-related crimes to hit New York. One Bitcoin is worth £78,000, close to an all time high and up 1000% in the last five years. In the US, President Trump has signed an executive order to establish a Bitcoin Strategic Reserve, helping to legitimise the controversial but lucrative asset. Fund managers including Fidelty and Blackrock now offer Bitcoin ETFs in the US while US banks will soon offer and hold Bitcoin to their clients. But there have been warnings to investor's about the asset's volatility.
New York Post
4 days ago
- New York Post
Italian crypto torture victim returned to NYC to reclaim stolen Bitcoin from thieves who then held him hostage for weeks: DA
The pair of hard-partying crypto bros accused of sadistically torturing an Italian millionaire lured him to New York City with the promise of returning Bitcoin they had allegedly stolen from him — only to then keep him hostage for weeks in a twisted bid to siphon the rest, prosecutors alleged. Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, 28, had been forced to cough up the Bitcoin after John Woeltz and William Duplessie allegedly threatened to kill his family, Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Amanda Blott revealed in court this week. The crypto crooks then allegedly told Carturan — who is worth some $30 million — he'd have to come back to the Big Apple if he wanted them to return the e-currency. Advertisement Carturan, who is from Turin, was picked up from the airport by an off-duty NYPD detective doing security on the side, and brought to the duo's 8-bedroom Prince Street home on May 6, according to sources and prosecutors. Woeltz and Duplessie allegedly grabbed his passport and cell phone and tied him to a chair, prosecutors said. Carturan was imprisoned in the SoHo house of horrors and brutalized for 17 horrific days — until he broke free over the weekend, prosecutors said. Advertisement The new details of the shocking torture case were revealed as Duplessie was arraigned in the case, and as prosecutors revealed Thursday they had secured an indictment against Woeltz, who was busted May 23 when Carturan made his escape. 6 Prosecutors said Italian crypto trader Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan wanted to recoup his stolen bitcoin. WNBC 6 Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan was held in a SoHo townhouse and tortured for nearly three weeks, cops said. James Keivom Sources also said that the cop who picked Carturan up at the airport and brought him to the SoHo pad had served as a member of Mayor Eric Adams' security detail — and has now been placed on modified duty. Advertisement A police search of the spacious townhouse uncovered Polaroid pics of the Italian trader's torment, including one with a crack pipe shoved in his mount while being held down, and another showing him with a gun pointed at his head, the DA's office said. 6 John Woeltz, the Crypto King of Kentucky, is charged with kidnapping an torturing an Italian bitcoin dealer in SoHo. Michael Nagle 6 Crypto millionaire William Duplessie is charged with kidnapping and torturing an Italian bicoin dealer in a SoHo house.. William Miller Woeltz, 33, and Duplessie, 37, allegedly threatened to kill Carturan's family again, and warned him that if he escaped they would track him down and kill him while demanding his bitcoin password. Advertisement Finally, after being dangled from the top of a staircase, Carturan agreed to provide his password, but fled to freedom when Woeltz allegedly went to fetch his laptop, prosecutors revealed. Woeltz was quickly arrested at the SoHo home, while Duplessie turned himself in Tuesday after partying it up in the Hamptons over the weekend, law-enforcement sources said. In court, Manhattan prosecutors said cops searched the townhouse and found a chainsaw, crack, body armor, night vision goggles, ballistic helmets, a gun with ammunition, and an array of photos of Carturan's harrowing weeks-long ordeal. 6 Prosecutors said Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan wanted to reclaim his stolen bitcoing when he was imprisoned.. Paul Martinka According to sources, Woeltz, dubbed the 'Crypto King of Kentucky,' and the hulking Duplessie lived a pricey party lifestyle, boozing it up at high-end Manhattan night spots and hosting all-night raves inside the rented SoHo townhouse. Carturan was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment after breaking free. In court Thursday, Woeltz's lawyer argued for his client to be released on a $2 million bond, claiming reports that his client owned a private jet and a chopper was not true. 'He has never been arrested before,' attorney Wayne Gosnell said. 'He's a 37-year-old man with no prior criminal history. He's a college graduate with a degree in philosophy. He's been very successful in the technology world. He's been supportive of his friends and family. Advertisement 6 Beatrice Folchi, John Woeltz's assistant, was arrested but released after the SoHo torture arrests. Khristina Narizhnaya/NY Post 'They are all committed in seeing him fight this case,' Gosnell added. Not swayed, Judge Kevin McGrath ordered him held without bail pending a return appearance June 11. Advertisement Kayla Mamelak Altus, Adams' press secretary, said the mayor's office was 'disturbed' by the allegations. 'Every city employee is expected to follow the law, including our officers, both on and off duty. We are disturbed by these allegations, and as soon as it came to our attention, the officers were placed on modified duty. The investigation is ongoing,' she said in a statement.
