A French family was recently the victim of a shocking assault in which a father was forced, under threat, to transfer the sum of 40,000 euros in digital assets. This incident occurred on the night of September 20 in Vendin-le-Vieil, in Pas-de-Calais. The attackers, numbering four, took hostage not only the father, who works in the crypto sector, but also his wife and their two children.
Context of the assault
At around 4 a.m., the family was at home when four hooded individuals forced their way in. According to initial findings, these criminals immediately bound the parents and their children, aged 8 and 12 years, with black duct tape, implementing a calculated approach to ensure their control over the situation. This hostage-taking fits within a pattern of increasing violence related to cryptocurrency in France.
The events that occurred
After storming the home, the intruders ransacked the place looking for information about the family’s digital assets. They then focused on the father, forcing him to provide his login details and access codes. Under threat, he was compelled to transfer 40,000 euros in cryptocurrency to his attackers. A particularly tragic incident occurred when the 12-year-old daughter was struck in the face with a car key, illustrating the brutality of the situation.
The family’s and emergency services’ reaction
After more than three hours of anguish, the attackers finally fled by car. The family managed to free themselves from their bindings, and emergency services were immediately called. The firefighters quickly took care of the victims, who were all in shock after this traumatic experience.
Search for the suspects
Currently, the police have made no arrests related to this incident. An investigation has been opened by the Béthune prosecutor’s office, which has entrusted the case to the interdepartmental judicial police of Pas-de-Calais and Nord. It should be noted that the French anti-cybercrime agency is also collaborating on the investigation, but details regarding the identification of the victims by the attackers have not been disclosed.
An alarming phenomenon in France
This assault fits into a broader context of similar attacks in France, which has become an epicenter of cryptocurrency-related crime. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez recently stated that since January, the country has recorded 77 kidnappings, abductions, and extortions related to this sector. The blockchain analysis company Chainalysis has also noted a significant increase in incidents, rising from 1.9 attacks per month the previous year to 4.6 in the first half of this year.
This surge in crime is partly explained by a leak that occurred in 2024, where personal data from cryptocurrency holders was stolen by a finance agent, thus amplifying the threats targeting this fragile sector.
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