Three kidnappers involved in the attack on the family of cryptocurrency entrepreneur Stéphane Winkel in Brussels have been sentenced to 12 years in prison each.
The incident occurred on December 20, 2024, causing serious mental trauma to the Winkel family and forcing them to move out of their old home. After the incident, the businessman decided to stop his YouTube channel specializing in sharing knowledge about cryptocurrencies.
MAIN CONTENT
Brussels court sentences three men to 12 years in prison for kidnapping crypto entrepreneur Stéphane Winkel's wife.
Kidnappings targeting crypto-related individuals on the rise globally in 2025.
The incident prompted crypto entrepreneurs to change their lifestyles, focusing on security and limiting public exposure.
Why did the Brussels court severely sentence three kidnappers in the attack on the family of a cryptocurrency entrepreneur?
According to the head of the Brussels Criminal Court, the 12-year prison sentence is intended to highlight the seriousness of kidnappings involving crypto assets. This is a way to protect the rights and safety of entrepreneurs in this field.
“This ruling sends a strong message of zero tolerance for acts of violence against the crypto community.”
Philippe Martens, President of the Brussels Criminal Court, July 2025
Three kidnappers coordinated an attack in front of his home in Forest on 20 December 2024, kidnapping the wife of Mr. Stephane Winkel. The crime was quickly discovered thanks to a pursuit by the Belgian police, which led to their arrest after a traffic accident near Bruges. However, the masterminds behind it have not yet been identified.
During the trial, the defendants claimed they were forced to commit the crime due to threats to their lives, but the court rejected this and imposed severe punishments. In addition to the prison sentence, the defendants were also ordered to pay more than 1 million euros in compensation to the victim’s family to help them overcome the serious mental consequences.
What is the rising trend of cryptocurrency-related kidnappings globally?
Reports from European and US security agencies show that 2025 marked a spike in kidnappings targeting crypto entrepreneurs’ families, with increasingly severe levels of violence.
For example, in May 2025 in Paris, several kidnappings targeted relatives of cryptocurrency millionaires, including amputations of fingers in the case of the father of a French cryptocurrency entrepreneur. Police rescued the victims after holding them for hours and arresting several suspects.
“Criminals increasingly view cryptocurrencies as a high-value asset, leading to more sophisticated and large-scale acts of violence.”
Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, June 2025
In New York, cryptocurrency investor Valentinoofr Carturan was kidnapped and brutally tortured for 17 days to get his Bitcoin wallet information worth about $28 million. 2025 also saw the kidnapping of the director of Ledger wallet in France with a ransom demand of 10 million euros.
How did the kidnapping affect the crypto entrepreneur's life and security strategy?
The kidnapping of Stéphane Winkel is a clear illustration of the risks faced by crypto entrepreneurs beyond financial loss. The incident prompted him to shut down his YouTube channel dedicated to sharing knowledge about cryptocurrencies, in order to protect his family from unwanted attention.
Cryptocurrency entrepreneurs are increasingly adjusting their lifestyles by limiting their public social media interactions and increasing their personal security measures to reduce the risk of being attacked or tracked by criminal organizations, financial security experts say.
The incident also raises a warning about the importance of protecting personal and family information in the cryptocurrency sector, where digital assets are always attractive targets for bad actors.
What measures are recommended to help crypto entrepreneurs protect themselves and their families?
Security experts recommend that cryptocurrency entrepreneurs adopt multiple layers of protection, such as switching to cold wallets, limiting the sharing of location information and financial activities online, and investing in home security monitoring systems.
In addition, changing your lifestyle habits, keeping your personal schedule private and limiting public events also helps reduce the risk of being attacked or kidnapped when being followed by professional criminal groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the kidnapping of Stéphane Winkel take place?
The kidnapping took place on December 20, 2024 in Forest, Brussels.How long did the court sentence the defendants?
The defendants were sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay more than 1 million euros in compensation to the victim's family.What is the current security situation for crypto entrepreneurs?
The risk of kidnapping and violence is increasing, forcing many businessmen to increase security and limit public appearances.How did the kidnapping affect Winkel's public activities?
He shut down his popular cryptocurrency YouTube channel to protect his family and minimize danger.What do experts recommend to protect against the risk of cryptocurrency crime?
Apply multi-layered security solutions, limit sharing of personal information and regularly update security measures.
Source: https://tintucbitcoin.com/bat-nhom-bat-coc-lien-quan-tien-ao/
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