A 26-year-old trader with a social media presence was kidnapped in which criminals demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency. The incident occurred in the town of Juvisy-sur-Orge, south of Paris, France.
The attack occurred overnight from Friday to Saturday, as the trader was returning home. At that moment, he was intercepted by four men who forced him into a stolen vehicle.
The victim, whose identity has been withheld to maintain his privacy, is known on TikTok for sharing content about finance and investments. He reportedly has around 40,000 followers on the social media platform, which could have made him an attractive target for kidnappers.
Once in the hands of his captors, the young man was beaten and pressured to transfer 50,000 euros in cryptocurrency. However, the attackers' plans didn't go as planned: upon reviewing the victim's accounts, they found he didn't have enough funds to meet the demand, so they decided to release him shortly after.
The case is being investigated by the French police's Organized and Specialized Crime Division, a unit dedicated to complex crimes often linked to new technologies. His intervention reflects the seriousness of the incident and the connection between organized crime and cryptoassets, as some criminals prefer them due to their relative anonymity and the difficulty in tracing transactions.
In different parts of the world, but especially in France, kidnappings linked to cryptocurrency users have become increasingly frequent. In these crimes, victims are violently forced to hand over their private keys or transfer funds in cryptocurrency. France has become one of the main hotbeds of this type of crime. In January of this year, Ledger co-founder David Balland was kidnapped in his own home. While he was held captive, the criminals demanded a ransom in Bitcoin, and he was eventually rescued by a special unit.
Cryptocurrency users and traders are advised to maintain a discreet profile regarding their assets and financial transactions, especially on social media. It is essential not to share sensitive information and to be alert to any threats or suspicious behavior, reporting them immediately to the authorities to avoid becoming a target of this type of crime.
