In a dramatic rescue operation, French police successfully liberated the father of a notable cryptocurrency magnate after he was reportedly kidnapped in Paris and subjected to a ransom situation. The abduction, which occurred Thursday morning, is the latest in a series of criminal incidents targeting individuals linked to the cryptocurrency industry within France.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the abducted individual is linked through lineage to a man who made significant profits in the world of digital currencies. While the identities of those involved remain undisclosed, it was confirmed that the incident included a demand for ransom.
The kidnapped man was found in a residence within the Essonne area, located to the south of Paris. Investigators managed to carry out a rescue operation on Saturday night. While it was confirmed that he sustained injuries, specifics of his condition were not disclosed. However, reports from French media suggested that one of his fingers was severed during the ordeal.
Five individuals were apprehended by law enforcement officials in connection to the incident. Among them, four were present within proximity to the location where the victim was held, and the fifth was reportedly operating a vehicle alleged to have been used in facilitating the abduction. The investigation is currently exploring various potential criminal charges related to the ordeal, including kidnapping combined with acts of torture or brutality.
This kidnapping follows another high-profile case from earlier in the year. In January, David Balland, a co-founder of the French cryptocurrency wallet firm Ledger, experienced a similar ordeal. Balland and his wife were reportedly abducted from their home in the central French region of Cher. Authorities were able to arrest ten individuals connected to the crime. The kidnappers then allegedly demanded a ransom paid in cryptocurrency from another co-founder of Ledger.
In that situation, the rapid response unit of France’s National Gendarmerie Intervention Group, specializing in hostage rescue, successfully secured Balland’s release the subsequent day. His wife was also freed shortly after, having been found restrained in a vehicle. The incident marked another alarming case of criminals targeting the burgeoning cryptocurrency industry in France for illicit gain.