French police kidnapped the father of a crypto billionaire

French police have released the sought-after father of a crypto billionaire. According to reports, French police conducted a weekend raid and released an unknown man who had been lured in Paris to get his son to pay the ransom.

Police successfully carried out the attack, arresting five people in the process, according to prosecutors.

In a statement, prosecutors said the kidnapped man was followed in a speech outside Essonne, which police attacked on Saturday. The man was accused of four men wearing ski masks that tied him into a car that day in the 14th South of Paris’ Allendiesment area on the morning of May 1.

French police rescued the victim of the temptation

According to prosecutors, the victim was the father of a billionaire who made his fortune with code. “The victim is the father of a man who made his fortune with cryptocurrency, and the crime includes a ransom demand,” the prosecutor’s statement said.

According to the Le Parisien newspaper, the temptants are seeking demand for ransom, referring to a total of 5 million euros ($5.7 million to $7.9 million).

A source close to the investigation told AFP that the temptation had already cut off one of his father’s fingers, and had the threat of chopping up others. “If police did not attack the property, there was a risk of other amputations,” the source said.

Prosecutors also pointed out that the number of arrests has been raised from the first four to five, highlighting the appearance of a fifth suspect. They said the fifth suspect was driving a vehicle that the criminal likely used for the operation, and the statement noted that they were all in their 20s.

French Minister of Home Affairs Bruno Latert welcomed the police approach to the incident. “A massive congratulations to the investigators who did exceptional work to free this man and arrest the prisoners,” he said.

He also especially thanked police Commissioner Laurent Nunes and his staff for the prompt action. The victim’s wife said in question by the authorities that her husband and son, who own a marketing company that manages digital assets in Malta, have been subject to threats in the past.

Police set up to investigate the rise in crypto billionaires’ lure

French police began an investigation into the temptation, accusing criminals of false imprisonment, arbitrary detention of hostages, and obtaining order or conditions of conduct, armed tor.

The crime was committed by an organized criminal gang, and all were charged with participating in a criminal conspiracy. The investigation was conducted by the Cybercrime Brigade (BL2C) in cooperation with BRI.

Meanwhile, police have pledged to investigate an increase in donations related to ransoms of French digital assets. In previous attempts, criminals invited co-founders of Ledger, a company specializing in safekeeping digital assets using wallets. Co-founder David Barand was accused of his partner at his home near the Bourge, France. The criminal also mutilated his finger as a warning sign.

Police were warned after Balland’s business partner received a finger video along with demand for ransom in cryptocurrency worth around 10 million euros. Barlands was eventually released in the assault, and the next day, police found his wife tied up in the boots of a car in the Esonne area parking lot. Police have charged nine suspects for the crime, a 26-year-old gang leader and has police records for the temptation.

In another incident in December 2024, the temptation took the father of a Dubai-based French crypto influencer. The attacker raided his house, tying his wife and daughter before shoving him into the car. My son received the ransom request and contacted the police. Police quickly released their mother and sister, but their father was eventually found in a Normandy car park the following day.