France prosecutes 88 suspects in cryptocurrency “wrench attack” cases, including over 10 minors

Odaily Planet Daily reported that the French National Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office (PNACO) issued a statement on Friday stating that France has launched judicial investigations into 12 cryptocurrency kidnapping cases orchestrated by organized crime groups. To date, 88 suspects have been prosecuted, including over 10 minors.

According to statistics, since 2023, France has recorded 135 cryptocurrency-related attacks, including 18 in 2024, 67 in 2025, and 47 so far in 2026. The prosecuted individuals face charges such as kidnapping, illegal detention, extortion, and money laundering. Recently, police arrested 6 suspects in two operations targeting kidnapping cases, all of whom are currently in pretrial detention. CertiK blockchain intelligence analyst Jonathan Riss stated that the masterminds of such criminal groups are typically located outside the European Union.