Abducted Father of Crypto Firm Manager Freed Over Weekend in Paris; Five Under Arrest
Rewritten Article:
Breaking News:A thrilling 60-hour manhunt by the Paris judicial police led to the rescue of a cryptocurrency mogul's father, who was kidnapped in broad daylight in Paris, on May 3. Sources close to the case, also confirmed by the Paris prosecutor's office, revealed this information on Saturday. Five individuals have been detained in connection with the crime.
: Cryptocurrencies: High-stakes kidnapping saga continues
On May 1, around 10:30 am, in the 14th arrondissement of Paris, witnesses spotted four masked individuals forcefully throwing a man in his sixties into a transport van. The suspects were after the father of an affluent individual who made his fortune in digital currencies, according to the Paris prosecutor's office. The kidnappers demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency.
The incident sparked an immediate response from the Paris judicial police, working under the guidance of the Paris prosecutor's office and its specialized units for organized crime and cybercrime. Their hard work paid off when they found the victim at a house in the Paris area, rescued thanks to a raid by the BRI on Saturday evening. The elderly man was found deeply weakened due to physical abuse and with a missing finger. Emergency services provided medical care.
Age of the Suspects
Four individuals were apprehended and taken into custody during the operation. As the Paris prosecutor's office stated, a fifth man was apprehended while driving a vehicle suspected to have been used by the offenders. The suspects are between the ages of 19 and 27.
The case has prompted a wide-ranging investigation, covering charges like kidnapping, hostage-taking, arbitrary detention, armed extortion, and criminal association. This probe has been assigned to the anti-gang brigade and the judicial police by the Paris prosecutor's office.
Insights:
- The kidnapped man is not the co-founder of Ledger, a crypto hardware wallet company, but a different unidentified cryptocurrency executive's father.
- The alleged mastermind of this kidnapping case, a 26-year-old man, has a prior conviction for kidnapping.
- Two other suspects were initially apprehended in a rescue operation on January 22, 2025, along with ten others questioned. This incident resulted in the rescue of another kidnapped crypto executive, although his case appears unrelated to the victim in question.
- All suspects face charges that potentially carry a life sentence. Seven other suspects, in addition to the alleged mastermind, had been placed under formal investigation earlier in April.
- A cryptocurrency executive's father, kidnapped in Paris earlier this month, was discovered around 60 hours later in a daring police raid, confirming reports from general news sources.
- The alleged assassins demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency, positioning the incident as a high-stakes event within the digital currency realm.
- According to the Paris prosecutor's office, five suspects aged between 19 and 27 have been detained, including one apprehended while driving a van used by the kidnappers.
- The investigation into this kidnapping case, involving charges such as kidnapping, hostage-taking, and criminal association, is being spearheaded by the anti-gang brigade and the judicial police of the Paris prosecutor's office.
