Paris Family Fights Off Masked Gang in Crypto-Linked Kidnapping Attempt

A masked gang tried to abduct the daughter and young grandson of a crypto company executive in Paris, but the attackers fled empty-handed after a violent struggle.

This incident is part of a trend of violent cases targeting individuals connected to the crypto industry in France.

Crypto Exec’s Family Targeted in Attack

According to a BBC report, the attack happened around 8:20 a.m. in the city’s 11th district and was captured on video by an onlooker. Local media revealed that the woman and her husband were getting out of their car with their child when three men jumped out of a white van and tried to pull them away.

The couple fought back, which resulted in the husband being hit several times on the head while trying to protect his family. Meanwhile, the wife managed to grab a gun from one of the culprits and threw it into the street. Police later confirmed the weapon was a replica air gun.

Despite the busy street and children on their way to school nearby, passers-by hesitated to intervene at first. However, as more people began to react, the attackers abandoned the attempt and ran back to the van, where a fourth person was waiting inside.

As the culprits drove away, one witness threw a fire extinguisher at the vehicle. Following the incident, the family was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.

Police sources confirmed that the woman is the daughter of a crypto company boss. AFP said the victims are relatives of the co-founder of French Bitcoin exchange Paymium. The Paris police unit that handles armed robbery is now investigating the incident.

A Series of Crypto-Related Kidnappings

This development follows a similar case just over a week earlier, where the father of a crypto millionaire was kidnapped in another part of Paris while walking his dog. In this instance, the abductee was held for ransom.  After being in captivity for three days, he was released with one of his fingers cut off. Several people have been arrested in connection with the case.

Another high-profile incident happened in January when David Balland, co-founder of crypto wallet firm Ledger, and his wife were taken at their home in central France, with the culprits demanding a 10 million euro ransom for their release.

While they were later rescued, Balland was also found missing a finger. Around the same time, rumors spread about another abduction involving Ledger’s other co-founder, Eric Larchevêque. However, these claims were later denied by French media.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the incidents are connected, but all victims involved had some link to crypto.