French authorities have charged 88 individuals, including ten minors, across 12 incidents of violence against cryptocurrency owners and their relatives.
The attacks take the form of home invasions, kidnappings, and extortion to gain access to digital assets.
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French law enforcement has charged 88 individuals, including ten minors, across 12 incidents of violence against cryptocurrency owners and their relatives. The attacks take the form of home invasions, kidnappings, and extortion to gain access to digital assets. Seventy-five of the 88 suspects are in custody awaiting trial.
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Rising Incidents: From 18 in 2024 to 67 in 2025
The cases are being investigated by the Paris Judicial Court under the supervision of the National Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (PNACO). Agency statistics show a sharp rise:
- 18 incidents in 2024
- 67 incidents in 2025
- 47 incidents already in the first four months of 2026
Some of those detained appeared in multiple episodes, indicating the existence of organized networks.
Related: Top 5 Most Common Cryptocurrency Scams—How to Avoid Crypto Fraud in 2026
Organized crime prosecutor Vanessa Perret emphasized the particular severity of the crimes, both because of the harm caused to people and the methods used to force crypto asset transfers.
Why Crypto Investors Are Becoming Targets
TRM Labs explained the rise in attacks through three factors: the perceived pseudo-anonymity of crypto transactions, the public visibility of asset valuations, and the ease of collecting personal data online.
Casa Chief Security Officer Jameson Lopp maintains a global registry of such attacks. Since the start of 2026, he has recorded 29 attacks worldwide, including five in April.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov linked the surge of attacks in France to the improper transfer of crypto investor data by a former tax official. He also stated that Telegram would rather leave the French market than grant access to private messages to “corrupt bureaucrats.”
Read also: France Shifts Its Approach to Stablecoins and Tokenized Deposits
Precautions and High-Profile Cases
Perret urged cryptocurrency owners to avoid “excessive openness on social media” and to be wary of scammers posing as law enforcement.
In January 2025, Ledger hardware wallet co-founder David Balland was kidnapped along with his wife. Kidnappers demanded a €10 million ransom.
According to CertiK, the number of “wrench attacks” worldwide rose 75% in 2025, with confirmed losses of approximately $41 million.
Read more: Crypto Scam Alert 2026—3 Projects Already Red-Flagged by Experts
