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Scottish Sun
14-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Inside France's brutal crypto crime wave with chopped off fingers, delivery van street kidnaps & £10million ransoms
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FRANCE is facing a wave of cryptocurrency kidnappings with victims snatched off the street in daylight and being returned with gruesome injuries such as chopped off fingers. Police sources told The Sun they are probing if these shocking cases - with at least four terrifying kidnappings or snatch attacks - are the "latest fad" for organised crime. 6 Many of the attackers have used unassuming looking vans to target their victims Credit: LeParisien 6 Harrowing footage shows three men, whose faces were covered, trying to force a mother into a van at around 8:20 a.m Credit: LeParisien 6 The woman was helped by a passerby, who intervened to stop the assailants Credit: LeParisien 6 Shocking abductions have seen assailants target both people working in the crypto industry and their loved ones over the past few month It has sparked an urgent investigation from French law enforcement. These horrifying abductions have seen millions in euros of ransoms demanded - and even some victims mutilated in the process. Attacks can happen in a split second, with one video capturing an attempted attack by masked men in a delivery van. Such is the scale of the trend that French officials have vowed to take action to protect French officials and their families. Victims have been tied up, doused with petrol and more than one case had their fingers chopped off as part of a ransom demand. "There are certainly possible links between the suspects involved,' an investigating source in Paris told The Sun. "Crypto kidnaps are becoming the latest fad in organised crime, and the robbers are becoming more ambitious. "The crypto industry is worth billions, and the coins are exceptionally easy to move between individuals, while avoiding any third party, such as a bank.' "All Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a blockchain, but law and order officials do not have the same powers to investigate transactions as they would with regular financial exchanges." French riot police 'tear gas entire streets' as fans 'throw fireworks' in chaotic scenes before PSG vs Arsenal And experts told The Sun that the more furtive nature of cryptocurrency makes it appealing to potential hostage-takers looking to claim ransom money. The law enforcement source spoke to The Sun after a stunning attempted abduction on the streets of Paris yesterday, where a woman who is believed to be the daughter or a crypto tycoon was targeted by three masked men. This terrifying broad daylight attack was caught on a now viral video that shows the shocking scenes unfold. The 34-year-old, along with her young child, was reportedly attacked at around 8.20am local time yesterday, when the men attempted to snatch her off the street into a delivery van. One of the greatest risks that's beginning to emerge are individuals that are prominent within the crypto space Will Geddes However, she was saved by the intervention of a passerby, while the father of the child covered her during the horrifying attack. She has since been identified as the daughter of Pierre Noizat, co-founder of the dealing platform Paymium. Police in the French capital believe that the intention was to take the victims to a secret location, before the thugs sent a ransom demand to Mr Noizat. He has one of the highest profiles in the crypto industry, saying in an interview in 2021 that some companies were worth billions, while others wanted to "conquer the world". Mr Noizat said at the time: "Our competitors raised considerable funds, amounting to billions—a thousand times more than us —making Paymium dwarfed by these behemoths. "But that's the story of technology in France: it's sometimes very difficult to obtain funding to conquer the world." 6 French gendarmes stand alert on a street in Mereau, near Vierzon, after the a crypto kidnap in January Credit: AFP 6 France's Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau vowed to protect crypto investors Credit: AFP The dangers of crypto investing These incidents are just part of a spate of attacks targeting people of profile in the crypto world. Individuals with profile in the industry have been attacked by gangs looking to exploit its relative furtiveness. Criminal gangs might take family members hostage in order to blackmail people with crypto investments for large sums of money. Security expert Will Geddes told The Sun: "One of the greatest risks that's beginning to emerge are individuals that are prominent within the crypto space." The latest incident involving the Noizat family adds to a string of violent crimes targeting crypto-affiliated individuals or their families – in France and other parts of the world. Security expert Will Geddes told The Sun: "One of the greatest risks that's beginning to emerge are individuals that are prominent within the crypto space." He added that they are "ultimately ending up being targeted by organised crime and low level criminals that are seeking opportunity that they can then acquire and rob them of significant amounts of funds that they can then funnel into their criminal activities and utilise in various different ways." Crypto expert Professor Carol Alexander of the University of Sussex told The Sun: "I don't think the kidnappers are very clever. "It used to be the dark web and the silk road - and bitcoin was used for money laundering. "But nowadays, the FBI and the Department of Justice... the forensic software you can use to trace them is to good, the kidnappers would likely be very quickly found out." France alone has now experienced seven such crimes in 2025. One particularly shocking incident saw a 60-year-old man have his finger cut off by attackers who demanded son - a crypto millionaire - pay a €5-7 million ransom. He was snatched off the street in broad daylight and held for more than two days in a Paris suburb by the assailants. The victim was eventually rescued by French cops, while four suspects were arrested. French prosecutors said he 'appears to be the father of a man who made his fortune in cryptocurrencies, with the crime involving a ransom demand.' Mutilation of victims is an established trend in this spate of kidnappings. David Balland, a co-founder of French crypto firm Ledger, was abducted at his own home in central France along with his wife in January. They were then taken by car to two separate addresses where they were held, according to prosecutors. Balland was reportedly taken to an address in the central French town of Châteauroux, while his wife was found in Paris. Criminals are said to have demanded a €10 million ransom, but they were later rescued by police. Balland's hand had also been mutilated, according to reports - while his wife was found tied up but uninjured. Elsewhere, a 56-year-old father of a Dubai-based influencer was found alive in a car boot in Normandy after being the target of an alleged kidnapping. His son received a ransom demand and contacted the police about the incident. The victim was found tied up, having been beaten and sprayed with petrol, 24 hours later. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has vowed to take action after the swathe of kidnap attempts. "I will bring together cryptocurrency entrepreneurs in Beauvau to work with them on their safety and to make them aware of the risks," the minister told CNews/Europe 1. Retailleau added: "We must jointly take measures to protect them. "But we will also find the perpetrators wherever they may be, perhaps even abroad."
The Irish Sun
14-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Inside France's brutal crypto crime wave with chopped off fingers, delivery van street kidnaps & £10million ransoms
FRANCE is facing a wave of cryptocurrency kidnappings with victims snatched off the street in daylight and being returned with gruesome injuries such as chopped off fingers. Police sources told The Sun they are probing if these shocking cases - with at least four terrifying kidnappings or snatch attacks - are the "latest fad" for organised crime. 6 Many of the attackers have used unassuming looking vans to target their victims Credit: LeParisien 6 Harrowing footage shows three men, whose faces were covered, trying to force a mother into a van at around 8:20 a.m Credit: LeParisien 6 The woman was helped by a passerby, who intervened to stop the assailants Credit: LeParisien 6 Shocking abductions have seen assailants target both people working in the crypto industry and their loved ones over the past few month It has sparked an urgent investigation from French law enforcement. These horrifying abductions have seen millions in euros of ransoms demanded - and even some victims mutilated in the process. Attacks can happen in a split second, with one video capturing an attempted attack by masked men in a delivery van. read more in world news Such is the scale of the trend that French officials have vowed to take action to protect French officials and their families. Victims have been tied up, doused with petrol and more than one case had their fingers chopped off as part of a ransom demand. "There are certainly possible links between the suspects involved,' an investigating source in Paris told The Sun. "Crypto kidnaps are becoming the latest fad in organised crime, and the robbers are becoming more ambitious. Most read in The US Sun "The crypto industry is worth billions, and the coins are exceptionally easy to move between individuals, while avoiding any third party, such as a bank.' "All Bitcoin transactions are recorded on a blockchain, but law and order officials do not have the same powers to investigate transactions as they would with regular financial exchanges." French riot police 'tear gas entire streets' as fans 'throw fireworks' in chaotic scenes before PSG vs Arsenal And experts told The Sun that the more furtive nature of cryptocurrency makes it appealing to potential hostage-takers looking to claim ransom money. The law enforcement source spoke to The Sun after a stunning attempted abduction on the streets of Paris yesterday, where a woman who is believed to be the daughter or a crypto tycoon was targeted by three masked men. This The 34-year-old, along with her young child, was reportedly attacked at around 8.20am local time yesterday, when the men attempted to snatch her off the street into a delivery van. One of the greatest risks that's beginning to emerge are individuals that are prominent within the crypto space Will Geddes security expert However, she was saved by the intervention of a passerby, while the father of the child covered her during the horrifying attack. She has since been identified as the daughter of Pierre Noizat, co-founder of the dealing platform Paymium. Police in the French capital believe that the intention was to take the victims to a secret location, before the thugs sent a ransom demand to Mr Noizat. He has one of the highest profiles in the crypto industry, saying in an interview in 2021 that some companies were worth billions, while others wanted to "conquer the world". Mr Noizat said at the time: "Our competitors raised considerable funds, amounting to billions—a thousand times more than us —making Paymium dwarfed by these behemoths. "But that's the story of technology in France: it's sometimes very difficult to obtain funding to conquer the world." 6 French gendarmes stand alert on a street in Mereau, near Vierzon, after the a crypto kidnap in January Credit: AFP 6 France's Minister of the Interior Bruno Retailleau vowed to protect crypto investors Credit: AFP The dangers of crypto investing These incidents are just part of a spate of attacks targeting people of profile in the crypto world. Individuals with profile in the industry have been attacked by gangs looking to exploit its relative furtiveness. Criminal gangs might take family members hostage in order to blackmail people with crypto investments for large sums of money. Security expert Will Geddes told The Sun: "One of the greatest risks that's beginning to emerge are individuals that are prominent within the crypto space." The latest incident involving the Noizat family adds to a string of violent crimes targeting crypto-affiliated individuals or their families – in France and other parts of the world. Security expert Will Geddes told The Sun: "One of the greatest risks that's beginning to emerge are individuals that are prominent within the crypto space." He added that they are "ultimately ending up being targeted by organised crime and low level criminals that are seeking opportunity that they can then acquire and rob them of significant amounts of funds that they can then funnel into their criminal activities and utilise in various different ways." Crypto expert Professor Carol Alexander of the University of Sussex told The Sun: "I don't think the kidnappers are very clever. "It used to be the dark web and the silk road - and bitcoin was used for money laundering. "But nowadays, the FBI and the Department of Justice... the forensic software you can use to trace them is to good, the kidnappers would likely be very quickly found out." France alone has now experienced seven such crimes in 2025. One particularly shocking incident saw a 60-year-old man have his finger cut off by attackers who demanded son - a crypto millionaire - pay a €5-7 million ransom. He was snatched off the street in broad daylight and held for more than two days in a Paris suburb by the assailants. The victim was eventually rescued by French cops, while four suspects were arrested. French prosecutors said he 'appears to be the father of a man who made his fortune in cryptocurrencies, with the crime involving a ransom demand.' Mutilation of victims is an established trend in this spate of kidnappings. David Balland, a co-founder of French crypto firm Ledger, was abducted at his own home in central France along with his wife in January. They were then taken by car to two separate addresses where they were held, according to prosecutors. Balland was reportedly taken to an address in the central French town of Châteauroux, while his wife was found in Paris. Criminals are said to have demanded a €10 million ransom, but they were later rescued by police. Balland's hand had also been mutilated, according to reports - while his wife was found tied up but uninjured. Elsewhere, a 56-year-old father of a Dubai-based influencer was found alive in a car boot in Normandy after being the target of an alleged kidnapping. His son received a ransom demand and contacted the police about the incident. The victim was found tied up, having been beaten and sprayed with petrol, 24 hours later. Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau has vowed to take action after the swathe of kidnap attempts. "I will bring together cryptocurrency entrepreneurs in Beauvau to work with them on their safety and to make them aware of the risks," the minister told CNews/Europe 1. Retailleau added: "We must jointly take measures to protect them. "But we will also find the perpetrators wherever they may be, perhaps even abroad."
Metro
22-04-2025
- Business
- Metro
Map reveals London hotspots feared to have been bugged by Chinese spies
Londoners have been warned Chinese spies may be listening in to them across the centre of the city. Parks benches, pubs and hotels have all been tipped to be Beijing's targets, with security insiders warning MPs and other officials to be careful about what they talk about. Foliage and benches in St James's Park, the Red Lion pub in Westminster and luxury hotels the Corinthia and Raffles have all been said to be hotspots for espionage, security sources told the Mail on Sunday. One source said: 'We have been told the Chinese literally have the park bugged, with devices in the bushes and under park benches.' They claimed that this was seen as worthwhile because civil servants and researchers often meet in the park over their lunch break. The Red Lion pub, which is a popular spot for parliamentary staffers, has also been declared unsafe because of 'Chinese agents'. Last week, concerns were raised about plans for a new Chinese 'super-embassy' at the former Royal Mint building in Tower Hamlets. Documents submitted as part of the planning application revealed 'two suites of anonymous unlabelled basement rooms and a tunnel'. Their actual purpose has been redacted for 'security reasons', and security expert Will Geddes told Metro that the unnamed rooms 'could be used for anything', such as 'detentions, planning, and even weaponry'. Last weekend, MPs approved government plans to take control of British Steel's blast furnaces in Scunthorpe after negotiations with their Chinese owners, Jingye, appeared to break down. The company had stopped buying enough raw materials to keep the blast furnaces going, with business secretary Jonathan Reynolds accusing them of failing to negotiate 'in good faith'. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Huge UK festival under threat over environmental concerns as campaigners raise £31,000 MORE: Priced out of the area of your dreams? Try these more affordable postcodes next door MORE: I'm a Pope lookalike who's never actually been booked as the Pope
