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Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
France Charges 25 People, Including 6 Minors, in Crypto Kidnapping Cases
French authorities have charged 25 people, including six minors, for their roles in a spate of crypto kidnappings in Paris, with the majority of the suspects connected to the recent failed kidnapping attempt of a crypto exchange CEO's family, Paris's public prosecutor's office said, Le Monde reported Saturday. The investigation is focused on the kidnapping attempt of the daughter and grandson of the CEO of crypto exchange Paymium, Pierre Noizat, that occurred on May 13, the report said. The probe also looked at other unsuccessful kidnapping attempts, including an earlier attempt on Noizat's family members, plus an attempted abduction near the western city of Nantes last Monday that authorities thwarted. The arrests follow a spate of high-profile crypto kidnappings that have plagued France this year. In May the father of a French crypto millionaire was kidnapped, the BBC reported. At the start of the year David Ballard, a co-founder of crypto-wallet developer Ledger was kidnapped alongside his wife. Both of the men had a finger severed, with videos of the appendage used to extract a ransom. Following the recent kidnappings France's Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau hosted a meeting with crypto stakeholders in May to discuss measures to keep them secure. The suspects involved in the May 13 case were between the ages of 16 and 23 years; six of them were minors, the Le Monde report said. They were mostly born in France while three individuals were from Senegal, Angola and Russia, the report cited prosecutors as saying. This case is characterized by "very young profiles, lured by money and then caught up in a situation that is beyond them," observed lawyer Ambroise Vienet-Legué, who is defending an 18-year-old suspect in the Nantes part of the case, the report said. A source familiar with the investigation told CoinDesk that the suspects are believed to be locally-hired muscle, who are paid by a criminal operation in Southeast Asia to carry out the kidnappings for as little as $10,000. Eighteen people are in pre-trial detention, three have requested a deferred hearing while four are under judicial supervision, the public prosecutor said. Though France has been the epicenter of crypto kidnappings, similar crimes are on the rise across the globe, including recent several cases in the U.S. CoinDesk reached out to Paris's prosecution office for a comment.
The Sun
01-06-2025
- The Sun
France charges 25 suspects in crypto abduction cases
PARIS: Twenty-five people, including six minors, were charged in Paris over a spate of kidnappings and attempted abductions of top figures in France's cryptocurrency world, prosecutors said on Saturday. 'Eighteen people have been placed in pre-trial detention, three have requested a deferred hearing, and four have been placed under judicial supervision,' the Paris public prosecutor's office said, adding that the suspects were aged between 16 and 23. The investigation into 'attempted kidnapping by an organised gang' centres on a May 13 kidnapping attempt targeting the daughter and grandson of the chief executive officer of crypto firm Paymium, carried out in broad daylight in eastern Paris. Prosecutors said the probe also covers 'other unsuccessful plans', including an initial failed attempt on the same targets the day before, and a disrupted operation near the western city of Nantes on Monday. Authorities said this week they had thwarted the Nantes abduction and detained more than 20 suspects in connection with that plot and the one targeting Paymium boss Pierre Noizat's family. Footage of that attempted abduction shared on social media showed four masked men attacking Noizat's daughter, her husband and their child in the French capital's 11th district in mid-May. All three suffered light injuries and were taken to hospital. Noizat later praised his 'heroic' son-in-law and a man who used a red fire extinguisher to fend off the attackers. According to a source close to the case, it was while investigating that abduction attempt that the police discovered the new plot near Nantes. Most of the suspects were born in France and others in Senegal, Angola and Russia. - 'Very young' suspects - Among those arrested so far are suspects accused of involvement in carrying out the abductions and more senior figures believed to be involved in logistics, according to sources close to the case. Ambroise Vienet-Legue, who represents an 18-year-old suspect in the Nantes plot, described the accused as 'very young', lured by money and out of their depth. 'My client admitted to being a fuse in a criminal machine' and deeply regrets it, he said. Another lawyer welcomed the court's recognition of the defendants' age -- some are as young as 16 -- noting that judges had considered the protections granted to minors. The kidnappings and abduction attempts 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 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. In mid-May, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau held an emergency meeting with cryptocurrency leaders, with the ministry announcing plans to bolster their security.
New Straits Times
31-05-2025
- New Straits Times
France charges 25 suspects in crypto abduction cases
PARIS: Twenty-five people, including six minors, were charged in Paris over a spate of kidnappings and attempted abductions of top figures in France's cryptocurrency world, prosecutors said on Saturday. "Eighteen people have been placed in pre-trial detention, three have requested a deferred hearing, and four have been placed under judicial supervision," the Paris public prosecutor's office said, adding that the suspects were aged between 16 and 23. The investigation into "attempted kidnapping by an organised gang" centres on a May 13 kidnapping attempt targeting the daughter and grandson of the chief executive officer of crypto firm Paymium, carried out in broad daylight in eastern Paris. Prosecutors said the probe also covers "other unsuccessful plans", including an initial failed attempt on the same targets the day before, and a disrupted operation near the western city of Nantes on Monday. Authorities said this week they had thwarted the Nantes abduction and detained more than 20 suspects in connection with that plot and the one targeting Paymium boss Pierre Noizat's family. Footage of that attempted abduction shared on social media showed four masked men attacking Noizat's daughter, her husband and their child in the French capital's 11th district in mid-May. All three suffered light injuries and were taken to hospital. Noizat later praised his "heroic" son-in-law and a man who used a red fire extinguisher to fend off the attackers. According to a source close to the case, it was while investigating that abduction attempt that the police discovered the new plot near Nantes. Most of the suspects were born in France and others in Senegal, Angola and Russia. Among those arrested so far are suspects accused of involvement in carrying out the abductions and more senior figures believed to be involved in logistics, according to sources close to the case. Ambroise Vienet-Legue, who represents an 18-year-old suspect in the Nantes plot, described the accused as "very young", lured by money and out of their depth. "My client admitted to being a fuse in a criminal machine" and deeply regrets it, he said. Another lawyer welcomed the court's recognition of the defendants' age -- some are as young as 16 -- noting that judges had considered the protections granted to minors. The kidnappings and abduction attempts 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 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. In mid-May, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau held an emergency meeting with cryptocurrency leaders, with the ministry announcing plans to bolster their security. - AFP
Time of India
31-05-2025
- Time of India
France charges 25 suspects in crypto abduction cases
France charges 25 suspects in crypto abduction cases (Photo: AFP) Twenty-five people, including six minors, were charged in Paris over a spate of kidnappings and attempted abductions of top figures in France's cryptocurrency world, prosecutors said on Saturday. "Eighteen people have been placed in pre-trial detention, three have requested a deferred hearing, and four have been placed under judicial supervision," the Paris public prosecutor's office said, adding that the suspects were aged between 16 and 23. The investigation into "attempted kidnapping by an organised gang" centres on a May 13 kidnapping attempt targeting the daughter and grandson of the chief executive officer of crypto firm Paymium, carried out in broad daylight in eastern Paris. Prosecutors said the probe also covers "other unsuccessful plans", including an initial failed attempt on the same targets the day before, and a disrupted operation near the western city of Nantes on Monday. Authorities said this week they had thwarted the Nantes abduction and detained more than 20 suspects in connection with that plot and the one targeting Paymium boss Pierre Noizat's family. Footage of that attempted abduction shared on social media showed four masked men attacking Noizat's daughter, her husband and their child in the French capital's 11th district in mid-May. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo All three suffered light injuries and were taken to hospital. Noizat later praised his "heroic" son-in-law and a man who used a red fire extinguisher to fend off the attackers. According to a source close to the case, it was while investigating that abduction attempt that the police discovered the new plot near Nantes. Most of the suspects were born in France and others in Senegal, Angola and Russia. 'Very young' suspects Among those arrested so far are suspects accused of involvement in carrying out the abductions and more senior figures believed to be involved in logistics, according to sources close to the case. Ambroise Vienet-Legue, who represents an 18-year-old suspect in the Nantes plot, described the accused as "very young", lured by money and out of their depth. "My client admitted to being a fuse in a criminal machine" and deeply regrets it, he said. Another lawyer welcomed the court's recognition of the defendants' age, some are as young as 16, noting that judges had considered the protections granted to minors. The kidnappings and abduction attempts 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 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. In mid-May, interior minister Bruno Retailleau held an emergency meeting with cryptocurrency leaders, with the ministry announcing plans to bolster their security.
LeMonde
31-05-2025
- LeMonde
France charges 25 suspects in crypto abduction cases
Twenty-five people, including six minors, were charged in Paris over a spate of kidnappings and attempted abductions in France's cryptocurrency world, said the city's public prosecutor office on Saturday, May 31. "Eighteen people have been placed in pre-trial detention, three have requested a deferred hearing, and four have been placed under judicial supervision," the public prosecutor said, with the suspects between 16 and 23-years-old. The investigation centers on a May 13 kidnapping attempt targeting the daughter and grandson of the chief executive officer of crypto firm Paymium, carried out in broad daylight in Paris' 11 th arrondissement. Prosecutors said the probe also covers "other unsuccessful plans," including an initial failed attempt on the same targets the day before, and a disrupted operation near the western city of Nantes on Monday. Authorities said this week they had thwarted the Nantes abduction and detained more than 20 suspects in connection with that plot and another targeting crypto boss Pierre Noizat's pregnant daughter and grandson. Footage of the attempted abduction that went viral on social media showed four masked men attacking Noizat's daughter, her husband and their child in the French capital's hip 11 th district in mid-May. All three suffered light injuries and were taken to hospital. The kidnappings and abduction attempts 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.
