French authorities have charged 25 individuals, including six minors, over a series of kidnappings and attempted abductions linked to the countryâs cryptocurrency sector.
The group, aged between 16 and 23, faces charges connected to multiple plots targeting prominent crypto figures and their families.
Per the report, 18 suspects are now in pre-trial detention, three have requested a deferred hearing, and four remain under judicial supervision.
The investigation centers on a failed May 13 abduction attempt in Parisâ 11th arrondissement. The targets were the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, CEO of French crypto exchange Paymium.
En plein Paris, un homme a Ă©tĂ© violentĂ© par des individus cagoulĂ©s, habillĂ©s tout en noir. Ils tentaient de l’enlever. Un homme a surgi, extincteur Ă la main, pour les faire fuir. âhttps://t.co/P0qV6PR40v pic.twitter.com/9f4r2Gi7ho
Authorities say this was not the first attempt â a similar failed plot was staged the previous day. Days later, police also foiled another operation near Nantes.
Masterminds behind the plot remain unknown
Footage of the May 13 incident, which circulated widely on social media, showed four masked attackers assaulting Noizatâs daughter, her husband and their child. The victims suffered minor injuries and were treated in hospital.
The suspects reportedly come from a wide range of backgrounds, including individuals born in the Paris region, ChĂątellerault, Senegal, Angola, and Russia.
Many of them were described by defense lawyers as âyoung profiles lured by money and caught in a situation beyond their control.â
The Paris case is part of a broader rise in cryptoârelated kidnappings across France this year. Highâprofile incidents include the January abduction of Ledger coâfounder David Balland and his partner, as well as the MayâŻ1 kidnapping of the father of a crypto millionaire â an incident investigators say is linked to the current wave of attacks.
So far, police have arrested lowerâlevel operatives and logistics coordinators, but the masterminds behind these plots remain unidentified.
The growing threat has drawn national attention. Franceâs Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau met with crypto industry professionals in midâMay to discuss protective measures. The ministry later announced enhanced cooperation between lawâenforcement and crypto firms, including home security checks conducted by police and gendarmerie officers.
Insurance companies to cover crypto risks
Likewise, executives and investors in the crypto industry are increasingly seeking personal security services. On May 18, private firm Infinite Risks International reported a rise in requests for bodyguards and protection contracts from highâprofile figures in the crypto space.
