Brussels Court Sentences Three Over Crypto Kidnapping of Investor’s Wife

Highlights:

• Belgium has sentenced three men to prison for a crypto kidnapping case.
• These cases continue to rise captured a suspect in France and Belgium as criminals target public crypto figures.
• Police are still searching for the masterminds behind recent crypto kidnappings linked to organized criminal groups.

A criminal court in Brussels sentenced three men to 12 years for the kidnapping of the wife of a local crypto investor, St. Stephane Winkel. The abduction took place in December 2024 near the couple’s residence in Forest, a district of Brussels. The attackers forced the victim into a van registered in France and attempted to flee toward the coast. Winkel then alerted the police, who responded swiftly.

A Belgian court sentenced three kidnappers to 12 years for abducting the wife of crypto entrepreneur Stéphane Winkel, demanding ransom in cryptocurrency; the case highlights rising crypto-related kidnapping risks worldwide.

— Cryptostream.app (@_cryptostream_) July 4, 2025

Police found the van at the outskirts of Bruges and resorted to tactical action to halt the vehicle by pushing it into a ditch. Responding officers apprehended the three adult suspects and saved the woman. Investigators also discovered that a teenage accomplice was involved in the crime.

The defendants, during the court proceeding, alleged to have been threatened by unknown people that they would be killed unless they conducted the kidnapping. Their account of the events was, however, not supported by the court. Judges determined that the operation followed the structure of a planned hostage-taking. The court awarded over one million euros in damages to the victims. Due to ongoing safety concerns, Winkel and his family have since relocated.

Crypto Kidnapping Cases Surge in France and Belgium

The Brussels case is one in a series of kidnapping cases involving cryptocurrencies reported in Belgium and France. Law enforcement agencies in both nations have reported that crimes against people affiliated with digital assets have been on the rise. Ransom payments made in crypto have been a popular method for criminals who seek to take advantage of the speed and privacy that cryptocurrency can convey.

The recent cases in France indicate this trend. In January, kidnappers mutilated Ledger co-founder David Balland before police secured his release. In another case in May, three attackers attempted to kidnap the daughter and grandson of the CEO of crypto exchange Paymium. Bystanders and the victim’s partner interrupted the attempt, stopping the kidnappers before they could flee.

Authorities also responded to a kidnapping involving a TikTok influencer in Juvisy-sur-Orge, where criminals demanded €50,000 in crypto. After learning the victim’s accounts held little value, the attackers released him. In a separate incident, criminals abducted a 23-year-old man and demanded a payment of €5,000 along with access to his Ledger wallet.

France has recorded more confirmed crypto kidnapping cases than any other country. Reports show that six of the 22 known incidents worldwide last year occurred there. Investigators believe the 2020 Ledger data breach exposed thousands of users, making many easier to track and target.

Authorities Continue to Search for Organizers

Although the court held three attackers accountable, authorities have not yet identified the main organizers behind the plot. Law enforcement continues to investigate the broader network suspected of coordinating similar crimes across Europe. In June, Moroccan police and Interpol captured a suspect connected to the attempted kidnapping of Pierre Noizat’s daughter.