According to ShibDaily, defendants John Woeltz and William Duplessie have pleaded not guilty to charges related to the alleged kidnapping and false imprisonment of cryptocurrency holder Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan in New York City. During a recent court appearance in Manhattan, Justice Gregory Carro denied bail for both defendants, who face charges that could result in a life sentence if convicted. The defense team contested the prosecution's portrayal of events, with Sam Talkin, representing Duplessie, claiming that Carturan was willingly participating in activities at a SoHo townhouse.
Prosecutor Sarah Khan presented evidence suggesting that Woeltz, Duplessie, and Carturan had a shared history in cryptocurrency investing and had communicated electronically over several years. The alleged incident occurred on May 6, when the three met in person, and Woeltz and Duplessie reportedly seized Carturan's electronic devices and subjected him to violent assaults. Khan described the alleged acts of violence, including pistol-whipping, cutting with a chainsaw, and extinguishing fires on Carturan's body by urinating on him after dousing him with tequila.
Approximately three weeks after the alleged kidnapping, Carturan was reportedly taken from the townhouse by Woeltz to facilitate a cryptocurrency transfer. During this outing, Carturan allegedly escaped and found a police officer while in distress, barefoot, and bleeding. A subsequent search of the townhouse by authorities reportedly uncovered a chainsaw, a loaded pistol, and a photograph of Duplessie with a firearm aimed at Carturan. This case highlights a growing trend of violent crimes and abductions linked to cryptocurrency, with similar incidents reported in France, including one involving Ledger co-founder David Balland, who suffered a severed finger during a ransom demand.