On May 13, 2025, an attack occurred in the 11th arrondissement of Paris against the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, the CEO of the French cryptocurrency exchange Paymium. Three masked men attempted to forcibly drag the woman and her son into a van but encountered resistance. The victim, along with bystanders, fought back, thwarting the criminal plan.
This is reported by Finway
According to local media, the man accompanying the victim sustained injuries while trying to intervene. However, the woman managed to disarm one of the attackers, seizing his gun and throwing it away. After bystanders intervened, the criminals fled in a car that was later found abandoned.
Reaction to the Incident and Rising Threats
The police transported all three victims to the hospital. The incident is being investigated by a special unit of the French law enforcement — the Brigade for Combating Banditry. Authorities believe the attack was planned and linked to the family’s activities in the crypto sphere.
The head of the Polish exchange Plasbit, Michael Englander, reacted to the event, calling it a troubling signal for the entire industry. He urged entrepreneurs to be more cautious and to avoid publicizing their activities to protect their loved ones.
“If you are involved in cryptocurrency and continue to showcase it online, you are not just foolish; you are putting your family in danger,” Englander stated.
Security Situation in the Crypto Industry
Experts note a rise in offline attacks on cryptocurrency owners and their families. In November 2024, teenagers kidnapped a man in Las Vegas and stole $4 million in digital assets. In January, a co-founder of Ledger was kidnapped in France, and earlier this month, the father of another crypto businessman was taken. Similar incidents have also been reported in Canada, where the CEO of WonderFi was abducted in downtown Toronto for a $1 million ransom.
According to observations by Casa co-founder Jameson Lopp, over 20 cases of attacks on cryptocurrency owners have been recorded since the beginning of the year. He notes a growing trend of danger for crypto asset holders. A study by Cambridge University confirms that offline threats are becoming increasingly diverse. The so-called “hammer attacks” often remain in the shadows due to fear of repeat offenses.
It is worth noting that a previous incident in Ukraine involved criminals stealing nearly 250,000 USDT from a citizen in Thailand.