The French authorities have accused 25 people, including six minors, for their roles in a series of cryptographic kidnappings in Paris, and most suspects connected to the recent failed attempt to kidnap the CEO family of an exchange of cryptography, the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office, Le Monde reported on Saturday.
The investigation focuses on the attempted kidnapping of the daughter and grandson of the CEO of Crypto Exchange Paymium, Pierre Noiz, which occurred on May 13, according to the report.
The investigation also analyzed other failed kidnapping attempts, including an earlier attempt against Noizat family members, plus an attempt to kidnapping near the western city of Nantes last Monday than the authorities frustrated.
Arrests follow a series of high -profile cryptographic kidnappings that have affected France this year.
In May, the father of a French millionaire crypto was kidnapped, the BBC reported. At the beginning of the year, David Ballard, co -founder of the Ledger cryptographic developer, was kidnapped with his wife. Both men had a cut finger, with videos of the appendix used to extract a rescue.
After the recent Interior Minister of the Interior of France, Bruno Retille, organized a meeting with the cryptographic stakeholders in May to discuss the measures to keep them safe.
The suspects involved in the case of May 13 were between 16 and 23 years old; Six of them were minor, said Le Monde’s report. They were mostly born in France, while three individuals were from Senegal, Angola and Russia, according to the report he summoned prosecutors.
This case is characterized by “very young profiles, attracted to money and then reached in a situation that is beyond them,” lawyer Ambroise was observed, which defends an 18-year suspect in the part of Nantes in the part of the case, according to the report.
A source familiar with the investigation told Coindesk that it is believed that suspects are locally hired muscles, who are paid a criminal operation in Southeast Asia to carry out kidnappings for only $ 10,000.
Eighteen people are in prior detention to the trial, three have requested a deferred hearing, while four are under judicial supervision, said the prosecutor.
Although France has been the epicenter of cryptographic kidnappings, similar crimes are increasing worldwide, including several recent cases in the United States.
Coendesk contacted the Paris prosecution office for a comment.
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