Paris Police Search for Armed Suspects in Crypto Entrepreneur’s Family Kidnapping Attempt

Authorities in Paris are investigating an attempted kidnapping involving the family of a French crypto entrepreneur. The incident took place on Tuesday morning when a group of armed men tried to abduct the CEO's daughter and her two-year-old grandchild in broad daylight on a street in Paris.

This attack is the fifth “wrench attack” in France this year, a troubling trend in which victims are targeted to reveal private cryptocurrency information. The latest attempt occurred around 8:20 a.m. on Rue Pache in the 11th arrondissement. A nearby security camera captured footage of three masked individuals attempting to seize the woman and her child. The situation was thwarted when the woman’s husband intervened, scaring the assailants off. They left their vehicle behind, which was later found a few streets away.

The victim, a 34-year-old woman, is the daughter of a prominent cryptocurrency CEO, as confirmed by local media. This marks the latest case in a series of “wrench attacks,” a form of violent extortion where perpetrators use threats or physical violence to force crypto holders to surrender their private keys or transfer assets. According to Jameson Lopp, a well-known figure in the Bitcoin community, there have been at least 25 such attacks globally in 2025, up from just over 30 in total last year. However, many incidents go unreported.

In addition to the Paris attack, France has seen at least five similar incidents this year. One of the most notorious cases involved Ledger co-founder David Balland and his partner, who were kidnapped and tortured for a multi-million-dollar ransom. Balland’s finger was severed during the ordeal.

Elsewhere, in Houston, Texas, popular streamer Amouranth was also targeted in a violent home invasion after revealing her $20 million BTC holdings. She was able to defend herself by shooting the attacker.