74-year-old French man kidnapped and tortured for 16 hours, kidnappers mistook his son for a cryptocurrency billionaire

PANews February 3 News, according to French media reports, three men in their twenties were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping and torturing a 74-year-old man. The incident occurred on the morning of January 25 in Voiron, Isère Province, southeastern France. The kidnappers attempted to extort $3.5 million worth of cryptocurrency from the victim’s son but ultimately discovered that his son was not a cryptocurrency billionaire, but an ordinary web developer.
Police stated that after the victim was kidnapped, he was subjected to nearly 16 hours of torture, including finger amputation and facial injuries. The kidnappers also took the victim to a back room of a bar to film abuse videos and sent them via encrypted messages to his son to demand ransom. After confirming the target was mistaken, the kidnappers released the victim that evening.
In recent years, there has been an upward trend in kidnapping and violence related to cryptocurrency in France. According to statistics, France reported 19 similar cases last year, including the kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland and his wife. Police have warned cryptocurrency holders to stay vigilant and be aware of potential threats.