25 people brought before judge over crypto kidnappings in France

ISTANBUL

Twenty-five people were brought before an investigating judge on Friday over a series of botched cryptocurrency-related kidnappings in France, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

Arrested earlier in the week, the suspects now await a court decision on their indictment.

Authorities are investigating whether a single criminal network is behind multiple attempted kidnappings targeting individuals connected to the cryptocurrency world.

On May 13, family members of a cryptocurrency entrepreneur were targeted in an attempted abduction by at least four masked individuals.

Around a dozen other suspects were also taken into custody after authorities foiled their plans to kidnap another person linked to the crypto sector.

Investigators are also probing a possible connection between these attempts and a third case that occurred on May 1.

In that incident, the father of a man who made his fortune in cryptocurrencies was kidnapped, held captive, and had a finger amputated during more than 58 hours of confinement, as the kidnappers demanded a ransom of several million euros.

The victim was later freed by law enforcement, and seven people were charged in the case.

In a similar case, David Balland, co-founder of the cryptocurrency firm Ledger, was kidnapped with his wife at their home in January. Authorities eventually rescued the couple, but Balland also had a finger amputated.