French police launched a high-risk raid over the weekend to free a man kidnapped in broad daylight in Paris, reportedly to extort a ransom. Prosecutors confirmed five people have been arrested in connection with the abduction, which took place Thursday, May 1st.
“The victim appears to be the father of a man who made his fortune in cryptocurrencies, with the crime involving a ransom demand,” the prosecutor’s office stated.
A source close to the investigation said that the kidnappers had severed one of the man’s fingers. “There were fears of other mutilations” had police not intervened in time, the source added.
The case highlights a growing trend of high-profile crypto-related kidnappings in France. In January, David Balland, a co-founder of the billion-dollar crypto firm Ledger, was abducted alongside his partner. Balland’s finger was also severed by his captors before he was released the following day. Nine suspects are under investigation in that case.
In a separate January incident, a 56-year-old man—reportedly the father of a Dubai-based crypto-influencer—was found in the trunk of a car near Le Mans. He, too, was reportedly kidnapped for ransom.
The trend highlights a troubling reality in France, where declining public security and a surge in organized crime appear to be fueling a new trend: kidnapping for ransom.
