French authorities successfully rescued a kidnapping victim during a late-night raid on Saturday, according to local news outlets. The man, whose identity has not yet been released, was reportedly being held for a ransom demand ranging between €5 million and €7 million.
French prosecutors indicated a potential link to the victim’s family’s cryptocurrency wealth, stating that he “appears to be the father of a man who made his fortune in cryptocurrencies.” Adding a chilling detail, reports suggest the kidnappers severed one of the victim’s fingers, a tactic reminiscent of recent violent extortions targeting individuals with significant crypto holdings, including Ledger co-founder David Balland.
The abduction reportedly occurred in broad daylight at approximately 10:30 am on Thursday in Paris’s 14th arrondissement. Witnesses described four men wearing ski masks forcing the victim into a delivery van. Police have since apprehended five individuals in connection with the crime – the initial four suspects and a fifth man identified as the driver – all reportedly in their 20s.
According to a police source cited by Le Monde, the victim’s wife revealed that both her husband and their son, who operate a crypto marketing firm based in Malta, had previously been the target of crypto-related threats. Authorities confirmed that no ransom was paid before the successful rescue operation.
This incident underscores a concerning trend of increasing violent crime potentially linked to cryptocurrency wealth. Earlier this year, a Canadian man reportedly went into hiding following a similar kidnapping and torture attempt. Investigations revealed that the attackers mistakenly believed the man possessed over $2.5 million in cryptocurrency based on his social media activity, while the victim stated his actual holdings were closer to $100,000.
