The French police successfully freed a 50-year-old man who became a victim of kidnapping a few days ago. He, along with his son, runs a crypto company, which attracted the interest of criminals who demanded a ransom of between 5 and 7 million euros for his release.
This is reported by Finway
Details of the Kidnapping and Rescue
On the evening of May 3, 2025, law enforcement conducted a special operation in Palézo aimed at rescuing the kidnapped father of the crypto millionaire. According to Le Monde, the man was abducted on May 1 in Paris when four masked criminals attacked him on the street and shoved him into a van.
The criminals demanded a ransom, with Le Parisien reporting that the amount could range from 5 to 7 million euros. The prosecutor’s office confirmed that the victim is the father of a crypto entrepreneur, whose name remains confidential.
Arrest of Suspects
To intimidate the victim’s son, the criminals severed one of his fingers. Law enforcement was able to locate the kidnapped man, conducted a raid, and arrested five individuals, including a driver, aged between 20 and 27 years. As of May 4, all those arrested are in custody and have been charged with kidnapping involving torture.
The wife of the kidnapped man stated that both he and his son had received threats multiple times. They jointly manage a crypto firm that operates in both Malta and France. The names of the victim, his son, and the kidnappers remain unknown.
It is worth noting that a similar situation occurred earlier in France. At the end of January 2025, the police freed Ledger co-founder David Balland and his wife, who were also held for ransom in crypto assets.