The Wall Street Journal reports a series of attacks and kidnappings involving owners of cryptocurrency wallets and companies around the world.
The victims are not only investors but also crypto business leaders and their relatives. For example, in France, masked assailants attempted to kidnap the daughter of the head of the crypto exchange Paymium, threatening her and her child with weapons. Another incident involved Ledger co-founder David Balland and his partner, who were kidnapped at gunpoint.
Within a few hours, other Ledger co-founders received a ransom demand of ten million euros. One of the messages included a video showing the kidnappers cutting off Balland’s finger, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The publication emphasizes that such crimes are becoming increasingly organized and professional. Among the victims are bloggers and investors from the United States, France, and Australia.
