Key Points: Crypto Torture Case
- Bitcoin millionaire abducted and tortured in Manhattan for wallet access
- John Woeltz and William Duplessie charged with multiple violent crimes
- Victim hung upside down, shocked, and threatened with a pistol
- Chainsaw used during assault; abuse documented with photos
- Escape caught on video; barefoot victim flagged down police
- Suspects flaunted wealth at NYC clubs before arrest
- Wave of similar kidnappings reported across Europe
Crypto Star Turns Into Nightmare Mastermind
The digital finance world was shaken this month when police arrested John Woeltzโaka the โCrypto King of Kentuckyโโfor orchestrating one of the most horrifying Bitcoin-related crimes in U.S. history.
Investigators say Woeltz lured Italian crypto investor Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan to New York. The 28-year-old victim, reportedly worth $30 million, expected a business meeting. Instead, he walked into a trap.
Torture for Passwords Inside Manhattan Mansion
Inside a luxury townhouse in Manhattanโs NoLIta neighborhood, Woeltz and his partner William Duplessie allegedly restrained Carturan and launched a brutal campaign of torture.
Police say they stripped him, beat him, shocked him with electric wires, and even sliced his leg with a chainsaw. The suspects demanded access to his Bitcoin wallet and threatened to kill his family if he refused.
They even forced him to smoke crack cocaine during captivity, adding another layer of psychological warfare.
Victim Escapes and Triggers Police Raid
After 17 days of terror, Carturan finally saw an opportunity. He bolted from the townhouse, barefoot and bruised, and flagged down a traffic officer. Surveillance cameras captured the moment.
Police moved in quickly. Officers raided the $90,000-a-month rental and found Woeltz in a robe, acting casual. He didnโt resist arrest, but the scene inside suggested absolute chaos.
Authorities then began searching for Duplessie. They found him in the Hamptons, where he eventually surrendered. Officers led him out of the NYPDโs 13th Precinct in handcuffs and a white polo shirt.
Photographs Reveal Horror and Humiliation
The disturbing saga doesnโt end there. Investigators found Polaroids showing Carturan with a gun pressed to his temple. He wore a bulletproof vest, night-vision goggles, and a crack pipe hung from his mouth.
These werenโt just crime scene photosโthey were trophies. Experts say the pictures reveal a chilling level of control and humiliation.
Prosecutors charged both men with kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, assault, and weapons offenses. They now face up to life in prison.
Crypto Party Lifestyle Revealed
While Carturan suffered in captivity, Woeltz and Duplessie flaunted their wealth around New York. TMZ released photos showing the duo at the exclusive club The Box. They reportedly spent up to $100,000 a night.
One photo shows Woeltz shirtless, middle finger raised, sunglasses on, standing above a crowd with a woman on his shoulders.
Sources say this lifestyle came from ill-gotten crypto gains. The photos now serve as damning evidence of the arrogance behind the crime.
European Authorities Battle Similar Cases
This isnโt the first crypto-related kidnapping. In France, police arrested 24 suspects involved in separate abductions.
Masked men recently tried to snatch the daughter and grandson of Paymium founder Pierre Noizat. In another case, criminals kidnapped a crypto millionaireโs father, severed a finger, and demanded โฌ7 million in ransom.
Authorities in Nantes stopped yet another abduction plot just in time. The rise in these incidents shows a global trend.
Experts Warn: Cryptoโs Dark Side Is Here
Analysts call this the โDigital Wild West.โ Crypto wealth exists outside traditional banking systems, often with minimal protection. That makes investors vulnerable to violent crime.
Unlike cash in banks, crypto lives in private wallets. If a criminal gets the password, the money vanishes in seconds.
Because of this, experts now urge investors to increase personal security. The stakes have never been higher.
