Six Arrested in France Over Crypto-Linked Kidnapping

 French police arrested six suspects following the escape by a magistrate and her mother, who were kidnapped by ransom seekers. The number of crypto-related crimes is increasing in France.

Six individuals connected with the kidnapping were arrested by the police. Those who were victimized have relatives within the cryptocurrency industry.

The arrests were confirmed by Lyon prosecutor Thierry Dran to AFP. Three suspects were held overnight. Sunday morning also witnessed two additional arrests. On Sunday afternoon, a minor was caught.

Daring Escape From Captors’ Garage

The 35-year-old magistrate and her 67-year-old mother freed themselves Friday morning. They were found injured in a garage in Bourg-les-Valence. The woman banged on the garage door to alert neighbors.

A neighbor heard the noise and intervened. He opened the door and allowed the victims to escape. No ransom was paid before their liberation.

Between Wednesday and Thursday, the kidnappers took the women on a trip at night. The partner of the magistrate works in a cryptocurrency startup and has been away.

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Ransom Demands and Gruesome Threats

The kidnappers wrote an email to the partner of the magistrate and included a photograph of her with a ransom demand of cryptocurrency.

France24 stated the kidnappers threatened to mutilate the victims in case money was not paid on time. The amount demanded was not revealed by Prosecutor Dran.

Two of the offenders were apprehended attempting to board a bus to Spain. Law enforcement is still seeking more suspects. 

France Faces Crypto Crime Wave

The French police have addressed a number of kidnappings of families, which are associated with cryptocurrency. The crimes have increased in 2025.

In January 2025, David Balland, co-founder of the $1 billion Ledger crypto company, was kidnapped. Kidnappers cut off his finger and demanded a ransom.

The next day, Balland was liberated. His girlfriend was discovered tied in a car boot in Paris.

In May, the father of a cryptocurrency executive based in Malta was kidnapped in Paris by four disguised men. Kidnappers cut off his finger and demanded millions of euros. He was later released after 58 hours by security forces.

The new arrests signify a huge move towards combating cryptocurrency-related extortion. An extensive search with 160 officers was conducted. Police employed vast resources to locate victims and suspects.