New York: Bitcoin Passwords Forcefully Extracted from Captured Italians - Violent Captivity in New York: An Italian Victim Forced to Divulge Bitcoin Access Codes through Harsh Treatment
An Italian man was kidnapped, tortured, and held captive in a New York City house for three weeks to extort password access to his Bitcoin accounts. The suspects, John Woeltz and William Duplessie, are accused of illegally possessing a firearm, kidnapping, and assault.
The 28-year-old Italian man escaped on May 23 from a luxury house in the affluent New York neighborhood of Nolita and alerted a traffic police officer. A third person, suspected of involvement, remains at large.
According to the complaint, the incident began in early May when the Italian man willingly visited the city house with an investor, believed to have had prior business dealings. Upon arrival, the duo took his electronic devices and passport, demanding access to his Bitcoin password.
When the man declined, he was allegedly bound, physically abused, and threatened with death. The suspects reportedly tortured him with beatings, electric shocks, and threatened to kill him and his family unless he revealed his Bitcoin passwords.
Police arrested Woeltz shortly after the escape on May 23, and during the search of the house, found a pistol and images documenting the torture. Two employees were also present during the criminal activities.
Duplessie surrendered to the police on Tuesday and was arraigned the same day. Woeltz waived his court appearance on Wednesday, and a second court session was scheduled for both suspects on May 28.
The District Attorney has lodged charges of kidnapping, assault, unlawful imprisonment, and unlawful possession of a firearm against Woeltz. Duplessie has also been charged in connection to the kidnapping and torture scheme.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the lengths individuals may go to steal cryptocurrency assets, raising growing concerns about the security and privacy of digital wallets.
- Bitcoin
- USA
- New York
- Assault
- Cryptocurrency Theft
- Kidnapping
- Torture
I'm not sure if the Italian man's investment dealings were related to politics or general-news, but this case in New York highlights the escalating crime-and-justice issues surrounding cryptocurrency theft, particularly Bitcoin. Despite escaping his captors, the third person involved in the kidnapping remains at large, increasing public fear and concern.
