More than a dozen suspects, including several minors, were arrested Monday morning in France following a string of violent kidnapping attempts targeting individuals linked to the crypto industry.
The arrests mark a new development in two ongoing investigations involving brutal ransom operations orchestrated by organized criminal networks.
The French Brigade for the Repression of Banditry (BRB) carried out coordinated raids in Paris, Suresnes (Hauts-de-Seine), and Loire-Atlantique, with support from elite units like the Paris Research and Intervention Brigade (BRI).
According to LeParisen, authorities believe both cases, one involving the mutilation of a crypto entrepreneur’s father and the other an attempted abduction of an exchange CEO’s daughter, are tied to the same underground network.
Coordinated Attacks Targeting Crypto Figures
Since the start of the year, France has been witnessing a disturbing surge in organized attacks targeting individuals with ties to cryptocurrency wealth, with authorities now linking multiple recent cases to a single criminal network.
One of the most notable incidents was on May 1 when the father of a young online poker player who had made a fortune through crypto and streaming ventures was kidnapped in Paris’s 14th arrondissement.
Four men, disguised as delivery workers in a stolen UPS-branded van, abducted the victim and demanded a ransom of €5–7 million via wire transfer. To pressure the victim’s son, the kidnappers severed one of the father’s fingers and filmed the act.
The man was later rescued during a joint police operation in Palaiseau (Essonne). Authorities identified and detained several suspects, all reportedly young men from regions including Algeria, Réunion, Yvelines, and Hauts-de-Seine. These individuals were allegedly explicitly recruited for the operation.
Just under two weeks later, on May 13, a second case unfolded in broad daylight in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. Three masked men attempted to kidnap a 34-year-old woman near a school using a Chronopost van.
The assailants were forced to flee after intervention from the victim’s companion and a bystander, despite managing to assault one of the rescuers physically. Investigators later confirmed the woman was the daughter of Pierre Noizat, co-founder and CEO of the Paymium cryptocurrency exchange.
Although no arrests have been made in connection with the second incident, authorities suspect the same criminal organization carried out both attacks. The similarities in tactics, including delivery vehicles, daytime operations, and the targeting of crypto-affiliated families, point to a coordinated strategy.
These recent cases add to growing concerns about a trend of organized crime aimed at the crypto elite. In January, David Balland, co-founder of crypto hardware firm Ledger, was kidnapped and mutilated in Cher, France, an attack that investigators believe shares a similar modus operandi.
The pattern is now unmistakable: individuals with ties to digital wealth are being systematically hunted by organized groups who see crypto success as an opportunity for extortion.
Mounting Fears Over Kidnapping Attacks on Crypto Executives
French investigators suspect a single criminal network is behind this wave of violence, using social media platforms to recruit operatives capable of carrying out kidnappings and assaults.
This emerging coordinated, crypto-targeted crime model has sent shockwaves through France’s digital asset community, leaving entrepreneurs and executives fearful for their safety.
The Paris-based Brigade de Répression du Banditisme (BRB) continues exploring links between these cases, urging heightened vigilance across the crypto sector.
Officials believe shadowy sponsors are orchestrating the attacks, likely operating from abroad, and are targeting individuals known to hold significant digital wealth.
As kidnapping threats escalate, more crypto executives are turning to private security. Amsterdam-based firm Infinite Risks International has reported a surge in demand for close protection services, with clients citing fears of kidnapping, extortion, and ransom attempts.
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