May 31, 2025, French prosecutors announced that 25 people, including six minors, had been charged in connection with a series of kidnappings and attempted abductions targeting prominent figures in France’s cryptocurrency industry. Here are the details:
Details of the Charged: The 25 suspects are aged between 16 and 23. Eighteen of them have been placed in pre – trial detention, three have requested a deferred hearing, and four have been placed under judicial supervision.
Targets of the Kidnappings: The investigation focuses on a kidnapping attempt on May 13, which targeted the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, the CEO of the French cryptocurrency exchange Paymium, in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. In fact, there was a similar failed attempt the day before, and another operation near Nantes was also foiled by the police a few days later.
Related Incidents: The spate of kidnappings began in January, when David Balland, the co – founder of the cryptocurrency firm Ledger, and his partner were kidnapped. The kidnappers cut off Balland’s finger and demanded a high ransom. On May 1, the father of a well – known poker player and cryptocurrency investor was kidnapped. The criminals stuffed him into a stolen van with a fake UPS logo and demanded 5 to 7 million euros in cryptocurrency for his release.
The suspects are from various backgrounds, including those born in the Paris region, Châtellerault, Senegal, Angola, Russia, and other places. So far, the police have only arrested the lower – level operatives and logistics coordinators, and the masterminds behind the scenes are still unidentified. These kidnapping incidents have attracted the attention of the French government. The Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, met with cryptocurrency industry professionals in mid – May to discuss protective measures, and later announced enhanced cooperation between law enforcement and cryptocurrency firms.
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