France Charges 25 Suspects in Cryptocurrency-Related Abduction Cases

 French authorities charged 25 individuals on May 28, 2025, in connection with a series of abductions linked to cryptocurrency scams, following a year-long investigation by the Paris Cybercrime Unit.

The suspects, aged 22 to 47, are accused of kidnapping and extorting victims to gain access to their digital wallets, targeting wealthy crypto investors across Paris, Marseille, and Lyon. The crimes, which occurred between June 2023 and April 2025, involved 12 abductions, with ransoms totaling €3.5 million in Bitcoin and Ethereum.

Prosecutors allege the syndicate used social engineering tactics, posing as investment advisors on platforms like Telegram to lure victims. In one case, a 34-year-old tech entrepreneur was held for 48 hours and forced to transfer €800,000 in cryptocurrency. The gang employed violence, including beatings and threats, to extract private keys. Police raids in May 2025 recovered €1 million in crypto assets, firearms, and fake IDs, leading to the arrests. The suspects face charges of kidnapping, extortion, and money laundering, with potential sentences of up to 20 years.

The case has raised alarms about crypto-related crime in France, where digital asset ownership grew 25% in 2024. Authorities have urged investors to secure wallets with cold storage and avoid unsolicited offers. The trial, set for September 2025, is expected to expose vulnerabilities in France’s crypto ecosystem, prompting calls for stricter regulations. Public fascination with the case, dubbed the “Crypto Kidnappers” scandal, underscores the intersection of technology and organized crime in Europe’s financial hub.