French National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office: Cryptocurrency Kidnapping Cases Surge, 88 Charged and 75 Detained

Odaily Planet Daily News The French National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office (Pnaco) stated that kidnapping and illegal detention cases involving cryptocurrencies continue to surge. Among 12 related cases currently under investigation, 88 people have been charged, including more than 10 minors, and 75 others are in pre-trial detention.

According to prosecution data, French law enforcement agencies have recorded 135 such cases since 2023, including 18 in 2024, 67 in 2025, and 47 as of now in 2026. The cases often involve violent kidnapping, ransom demands, and forcing victims to transfer crypto assets. The prosecutor's office pointed out that some suspects have appeared in multiple different cases, indicating the formation of a structured criminal network behind the scenes. The kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland is also seen as an important sign of the escalating security risks in the French crypto industry. (Lemonde)