Ledger co-founder David Balland released after kidnapping: Bloomberg

David Balland, retired co-founder of France-based crypto hardware wallet manufacturer Ledger, has reportedly been released after being kidnapped.

Balland was taken from his home in the early hours of Tuesday and freed Wednesday night following a police operation, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office. The kidnappers reportedly demanded a significant ransom in cryptocurrency, according to the prosecutor’s office.

After the abduction, Balland was reportedly transported to another location, where he was held captive. Emergency services are currently treating him, per the prosecutor’s office.

The news comes a day after rumors surfaced about the kidnapping of Ledger’s other co-founder, Eric Larchevêque. However, Grégory Raymond, co-founder of France-based crypto news and research outlet The Big Whale, clarified that the rumors were inaccurate and that Larchevêque was not involved in any kidnapping incident.

The Block reached out to Ledger for comment on Thursday. Ledger declined to make a statement on Wednesday amid the rumors.