Paris Crypto Kidnapping Ring: 25 Charged, Leaders Still Missing
In a big development from France’s crypto crime scene, 25 people have been charged by authorities, six of them minors, for violent kidnapping attempts against crypto asset owners. The French crypto community is reeling from a shocking assault on the families of high-profile investors as criminals attempt to extort cash from the victims by tricking them into transferring crypto.
We believe these 16–23-year-olds have been orchestrating a number of abduction attempts, mainly on families who have crypto-assets.
A high-profile case involved an attempted kidnapping in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, where masked assailants attacked the daughter and grandson of Paymium CEO Pierre Noizat on May 13. The victims sustained minor injuries, and the incident was recorded on video and shared widely online.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. After a failed attempt the day before, there was another near Nantes and another. They all share the same modus operandi, taking out people linked to crypto wealth.
From the 25 people charged, 18 are in pre-trial detention, four are under judicial supervision, and three are awaiting hearings. The police said that despite the arrests, the masterminds for all these remain at large. Many have roots in France, Senegal, Angola, and Russia, among other places. Defense lawyers say most suspects are impressionable young people who were promised easy money and pulled into a web of criminals without knowing.
According to reports, these incidents are just one of many crypto-related kidnappings that have taken place in France in 2025. Earlier, the abduction of David Balland (Ledger co-founder) took place in January. Other than these, other cases include the kidnapping of a crypto millionaire’s father in May. All of these are part of the same chain of crime.
With fear gripping crypto investors, Bruno Retailleau, France’s interior minister, has been in talks with players in the crypto industry. To ensure safety and better management of the circumstances, a few measures have been introduced, including security audits at private residences and closer coordination.
Insurance companies are also getting involved in the fight against the crisis. A number of firms are developing kidnap and ransom (K&R) policies for digital asset holders tailored to their needs. At the same time, firms such as Infinite Risks International are getting more requests for bodyguards and personalized security from cryptocurrency executives and rich investors.
This offense spree shows how dangerous a virtual asset can be in real life. As crypto adoption grows, it’s increasingly important to protect not only digital wallets but also oneself.
