France Police Tie Surge in Crypto Kidnappings to Foreign Kingpins

Highlights:

• The French police have linked 40 abduction cases to organized groups that target digital asset holders.
• The recruiters use social media to identify and track their potential victims.
• Crypto kidnapping cases have risen alongside the recent wrench attacks.

The French police have linked an increase in kidnappings with organized criminal organizations that target cryptocurrency users and professionals. According to investigators, 40 organized kidnappings were registered in July 2023 to the end of last year. The findings were described by the Organized Crime Information and Strategic Analysis Service in a confidential memo. According to officers, over 50% of the cases entailed crypto-related motives.

French police report reveals that victims of crypto kidnappings in France are mostly aged 20-35, with 40 cases occurring between 2023 and 2025. Overseas criminal kingpins are behind many of these incidents, targeting individuals involved in the crypto sector. pic.twitter.com/wLXPqATlo1

— max headroom (@ycyabi) February 23, 2026

According to the police, most of the attacks were ordered by people who acted outside France. These organizers managed operations by having intermediaries operating within the country. Investigators found that there were operational connections between foreign planners and local recruiters.

The Recruiters Behind the Attacks

According to SIRASCO, the majority of victims had common traits. Many of the victims are men aged between 20 and 35. They operate as venture capitalists or social media influencers in the crypto industry. According to police, a number of the victims flaunted their digital asset wealth over social platforms. Investigators also reported that France has the largest share of crypto-related organized kidnappings in Europe.

SIRASCO stated that foreign organizers work directly with intermediaries based in France. The intermediaries recruit individuals to carry out intimidation and abductions. Meanwhile, most of the recruits are under 30. Police said many hold prior criminal records involving theft, violence, or drug trafficking.

According to the police, 78% of crypto-related kidnapping cases involved social media intelligence gathering. Criminal gangs kept an eye on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. They checked posts to determine daily routine, travel activities, and relatives. Many victims, investigators said, posted photos of luxury purchases or industry events.

French authorities are also investigating a recent case involving a 35-year-old magistrate and her 67-year-old mother. Attackers abducted both women overnight from their residence in southeastern France. The kidnappers transported them to a garage in Bourg-lès-Valence in the Drôme region.

🚨 LATEST: FRENCH MAGISTRATE KIDNAPPED IN CRYPTO RANSOM PLOT

French police have arrested six suspects following the abduction of a magistrate, per @France24_en.

Authorities say kidnappers demanded a ransom paid in cryptocurrency.

The case triggered a large-scale police… pic.twitter.com/WaAgZvx82b

— BSCN (@BSCNews) February 9, 2026

Investigators said the attackers sought a cryptocurrency ransom. In response, authorities tightened security around major players in the digital asset sector in the wake of these attacks.

Attackers tried to target the French CEO of Binance in Val-de-Marne earlier this month. Officials reported that the effort was unsuccessful. A 74-year-old man was kidnapped and tortured by a group in Isere in January. His son, the attackers thought, had a lot of wealth in cryptocurrency. Investigators later confirmed that the claim was not true.

🚨UPDATE: BINANCE CO-FOUNDER YI HE CONFIRMS FRENCH CEO IS SAFE

Yi He (@Heyibinance) confirms that Binance's French President and family are safe, following a targeted attack, and three suspects have been arrested.

"We can confirm that three individuals connected to this matter… pic.twitter.com/IxUUZNUjxz

— BSCN (@BSCNews) February 13, 2026

Crypto Kidnappings Escalate With Wrench Attacks

CERTiK, a blockchain security firm, indicated that wrench attacks increased 75% last year. The company recorded a total of 71 major incidents last year. The company also registered a 250% rise in reported physical assaults associated with digital assets. According to CertiK, the most frequent type of crypto wrench attack is kidnapping.

In a related incident, Police in Vienna recently associated the murder of a 21-year-old student with the theft of his crypto wallet passwords. His burned body was discovered in a car in Donaustadt on November 26 by officers. Attackers, investigators said, coerced him into disclosing login details after torturing him. They then emptied his wallets and burnt the car.