PARIS — French police successfully rescued the father of a wealthy cryptocurrency entrepreneur during a nighttime raid after he was taken hostage for ransom. This incident marks another alleged criminal attempt in France to extort individuals involved in digital asset management.
The man was abducted on Thursday morning in Paris, according to the prosecutor’s office. The victim is the father of a man who amassed significant wealth through cryptocurrencies, and the incident involved a ransom demand, as stated in the official report without revealing names or further specifics.
Police investigators traced the hostage to a house in the Essonne region, south of Paris, where he was rescued on Saturday night. He received medical treatment for injuries sustained during the ordeal, though details were not disclosed. French media reported that the alleged kidnappers had severed one of the man’s fingers.
Five individuals were detained in connection with the crime—four near the house where the man was held, and one driving a vehicle believed to have been used in the abduction. The investigation is exploring various criminal charges, including kidnapping involving torture or barbaric acts.
This case follows another high-profile kidnapping in January, when David Balland, a co-founder of the French crypto-wallet firm Ledger, and his wife were abducted from their home in central France. They were later rescued by France’s elite National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN).
— new from NBC News
