French Family Forced to Transfer $820K in Crypto After Armed Home Invasion

Gate News message, April 22 — A family in Ploudalmézeau, a small town in Brittany, France, was invaded by two armed masked men on Monday (April 20), according to reporting by The Block. Three adults were bound for over three hours and forced to transfer approximately 700,000 euros (about $820,000) in cryptocurrency to wallets controlled by the attackers. The suspects fled by car; the vehicle was later recovered by police in Brest, but no arrests have been made yet.

This incident is part of a broader trend in France. French judicial police have recorded more than 40 cryptocurrency-related kidnappings or robbery cases so far this year, up from approximately 30 in 2025. Previous victims have included a streamer’s family members, an executive at a major crypto exchange, and a female judge.