An immediate inquiry is underway following an incident where a couple, in their late 50s, was held captive in their home by individuals posing as law enforcement officers and coerced into transferring £800,000 in Bitcoin. The couple, residing in a western suburb of Paris, were threatened with a knife by three men wearing counterfeit police attire.
According to reports from French media, the culprits presented themselves as police officers conducting a search before forcibly entering the premises. The husband was menaced with a knife and instructed to transfer €900,000 (£778,000) worth of Bitcoin to a different cryptocurrency wallet.
After assaulting the couple and securing the husband with a rope, the perpetrators absconded in a white van. Once the assailants departed, the woman managed to free her husband and seek help from neighbors, who alerted the authorities.
As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with the incident that occurred in Yvelines. Prosecutors in Versailles have assigned the Banditry Repression Brigade, also known as ‘antigang,’ to investigate the case involving organized crime.
This incident highlights a growing trend of targeting affluent cryptocurrency users, with reported ‘wrench attacks’ surging by 75% globally last year, reaching 72 confirmed cases. France recorded the highest number of incidents at 19, with Europe accounting for about 40% of all cases.
A series of abductions in 2025 included the kidnapping of David Balland, co-founder of the billion-dollar cryptocurrency wallet startup Ledger, who was held captive with his wife for ransom in Paris. The perpetrators mutilated Mr. Balland and demanded money for his release before a police operation led to his rescue.
In a recent case, six individuals were apprehended after a court magistrate and her mother were held hostage for approximately 30 hours in a ransom scheme involving cryptocurrency. The victims managed to escape and alert authorities after being threatened with mutilation if a ransom was not paid.
Law enforcement in Lyon successfully apprehended four men, one woman, and a child linked to the incident, including two individuals attempting to flee to Spain.
