France Sees Surge in Crypto-Related Kidnappings: €40,000 Demanded in Violent Home Invasion
A family of four in northern France was held captive for over three hours by masked attackers demanding €40,000 in cryptocurrency. The attackers entered the home at around 4 a.m. Sunday and restrained the couple and their two children. They separated the father from his family and assaulted him while demanding access to his cryptocurrency. He was forced to communicate his identification information and codes.
The victim's 12-year-old daughter was struck in the face with car keys during the ordeal. The attackers eventually obtained roughly €40,000 before leaving the property. The family managed to free themselves after the group drove away, and firefighters arrived at around 7 a.m.
Prosecutors are treating the case as kidnapping and extortion by an organized gang. An investigation has been handed to regional judicial police and France's anti-cybercrime office. All four suspects remain at large.