- Paris police arrested 12 suspects in crypto-related kidnappings.
- Suspects targeted crypto entrepreneurs, demanded multi million-euro ransoms.
- Several minors were among those charged with kidnapping and conspiracy.
Authorities in Paris arrested 12 people connected to plans to kidnap owners and relatives of cryptocurrency businesses. The arrests, reported on May 26, 2025, followed investigations into two high-profile cases involving ransom demands in digital currencies.
The police operation was focused on a group accused of taking victims hostage to demand cryptocurrency. Some minors were arrested for kidnapping, attempting to kidnap and criminal conspiracy.
High-Profile Crypto Kidnappings
On May 13, a group of attackers tried to kidnap the CEO’s daughter and grandson, Pierre Noizat, who manages Paymium. The operation to stop the plot revealed that attacks on crypto leaders are becoming more common.
Days earlier, on May 1, Paris police rescued the father of a cryptocurrency millionaire held captive for several days. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 5 to 7 million euros in cryptocurrency, which went unpaid. Authorities raided a house south of Paris, arresting five suspects aged 20 to 27.
The victim’s son, who earned money from a Maltese crypto marketing firm, had been told about the dangers before. One of the victim’s fingers was cut off by the kidnappers which is common in cryptocurrency-related abductions in France.
The World of Crypto is Facing Rising Risks
Investing in cryptocurrencies is now riskier for many, because violent crime is on the rise.In January 2025, David Balland, one of the founders of the hardware wallet startup Ledger, was abducted and held for a ransom payment After the raid, police let him go and detained nine others, including a 26-year-old who had been accused of abduction.
With more attacks on crypto companies happening, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau organized a meeting with leading figures in the industry in mid-May. As a new security measure, police could now enter quickly and entrepreneurs and their families were given frequent briefings.
Police believe that an organized crime group has kidnapped those workers and used digital currency to keep their actions hidden. According to Chainalysis, cryptocurrencies can be tracked which makes it easier for law enforcement to follow and investigate ransom payments.
Eleven people were arrested in Nantes and one more in Paris during those weeks. On May 26, six more people were arrested relating to the Noizat case. Police in Europe are looking into if the case is related to other crypto frauds.
Other countries have gone through similar events before France stepped in. In 2024, four suspects in Ukraine were arrested after kidnapping a Bitcoin investor and threatening to kill him if he did not move $170,000 in crypto. In July of 2024, a family in Malaysia paid $1.2 million in crypto to have their loved ones released.
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