OFFICIALS DEMANDED CRYPTOCURRENCIES FOR THE RELEASE OF A KIDNAPPED MAN IN VENEZUELA.

A man freed in the state of Lara, after 19 days of being kidnapped, paid 800 thousand dollars in crypto assets.

In an alarming incident in Venezuela, officials allegedly involved in the kidnapping of a man demanded ransom payment in cryptocurrencies for his release.

This case highlights the growing trend of criminals, including members of security forces, turning to cryptocurrencies for money laundering and evading traditional banking tracking, due to their pseudonymous nature.

Although the specific details of this kidnapping have not been widely disseminated, the news fits into a broader context of corruption in Venezuela, where cryptocurrencies have been linked to illicit activities and extortion schemes. The country has been the scene of cases like PDVSA-Crypto, where high-ranking officials were implicated in fund diversion and demands for cryptocurrencies, highlighting a troubling criminal infiltration into institutions.

According to the police report, viewed by the Venezuelan media NTN24 following the complaint filed by the victim, the kidnapping was carried out by a group of at least ten people, including eight officials and former officials of CONAS, as well as two civilians.

The choice of cryptocurrencies for the ransom complicates authorities' efforts to track the funds and bring the culprits to justice. This incident underscores the urgent need to strengthen legal frameworks and investigative capacities to combat the use of digital assets in criminal activities and protect citizens from these new forms of extortion.