This Tuesday morning, Paris shuddered. The daughter of a famous crypto magnate narrowly escaped a kidnapping worthy of a failed crime novel right in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. The violent and unexpected incident shook residents and authorities alike. Quickly, the news spread through financial circles. The words Crypto and boldness have never sounded so loudly.
The scene took place around 8:20 a.m. while bitcoin briefly dropped . Three masked men came out of a white van. They wore gloves and dark jackets. Their target? A woman in her thirties, a mother. The victim was accompanied by her two-year-old child.
With little discretion and great speed, they tried to force her into the vehicle. Passersby, stunned by the crypto-criminal audacity, were frozen in place. Ironically, one of the kidnappers lost a handgun during the struggle, real or fake, adding to the absurd drama of the scene.
Fortunately, the father intervened bravely. Taking some blows but holding firm, he managed to free the victim. Overwhelmed by the unexpected, the kidnappers fled, leaving behind chaos, confusion, and a reputation to rebuild in the world of crime.
The Paris Brigade for the Repression of Banditry (BRB), now on the case, quickly located the van abandoned in a nearby street. Between stunned witnesses and numerous surveillance cameras, investigators have plenty of material.
The victim, far from insignificant, is the daughter of the CEO of a major crypto trading platform. This detail, of course, did not escape anyone, adding a very particular dimension to the investigation.
The Parisian crypto community, usually focused on bitcoin fluctuations or altcoin adventures, is now seriously questioning issues related to their personal security.
The motives behind this failed act remain to be clarified. Kidnapping for ransom payable in bitcoin? Simple intimidation? A coded message aimed at the crypto world? The hypotheses are varied, and the speculations go far beyond the usual crypto realm.