Paris police are searching for three armed men who attempted to kidnap a 34-year-old woman and her two-year-old child on the morning of May 13. According to law enforcement, the victim is the daughter of a prominent cryptocurrency company executive. The attempted kidnapping occurred around 8:20 a.m. on Rue Pache in the 11th arrondissement and was captured by a surveillance camera.
Footage shows three masked individuals attacking the woman and her child. The victim’s husband intervened, managing to scare the attackers away. The suspects abandoned their vehicle nearby and fled the scene. Paris police are investigating and confirmed that the intended target was indeed the crypto entrepreneur’s daughter. The identities of the attackers remain unknown.
A Rise in Violent Attacks Targeting Crypto Owners
This incident marks the fifth recorded “wrench attack” in France since the beginning of 2025. The term refers to physical or coercive assaults aimed at obtaining access to cryptocurrency wallets — often by extorting private keys under threat of violence.
According to a GitHub repository maintained by Casa co-founder and Bitcoin veteran Jameson Lopp, at least 25 such attacks have already been documented worldwide this year. In 2024, just over 30 cases were reported publicly, although many are believed to go unreported.
Crypto-Related Crime Becoming Increasingly Violent
Earlier this year, France was shaken by the kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland and his partner. They were held for several days while attackers demanded a multimillion-dollar ransom. Media reports indicate that Balland sustained serious injuries, including the amputation of a finger.
Physical violence against crypto asset owners is becoming increasingly common not only in France but also in the United States. On May 11 in Las Vegas, three teenagers abducted a man and forced him under threat to transfer $4 million in cryptocurrency and NFTs.
In a previous incident, popular OnlyFans streamer Amouranth was attacked in her Houston home after publicly revealing her crypto holdings of $20 million. She was able to defend herself by shooting and injuring the intruder.
Experts in digital security warn that as the market capitalization of cryptocurrencies grows — and as crypto holders become more publicly visible — the risk of targeted physical violence is on the rise.
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