French National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecution Office: Cryptocurrency Kidnapping Cases Surge, 88 Indicted and 75 Detained

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

According to prosecution data, since 2023, French law enforcement agencies have recorded 135 such cases, 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 prosecution pointed out that some suspects have appeared in multiple different cases, indicating the formation of a structured criminal network behind them. The previous kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland is also regarded as an important sign of the escalating security risks in the French crypto industry. (Lemonde)