Crypto : Police Link Kidnappings in France to Masterminds Based Abroad

In France, the wave of kidnappings related to crypto would be less about technology and more about the visibility of the victims. According to the police, masterminds based abroad would orchestrate these attacks through local relays, following a repeated pattern of spotting, recruiting, and carrying out actions, where crypto becomes a signal of wealth “easily monetizable”.

Crime Directed Beyond Borders, Executed at Home

According to a police note cited by Franceinfo, investigators link 40 kidnapping cases that occurred between July 2023 and the end of 2025 to crypto-related motives. More than half reportedly directly targeted crypto holders or people working in the sector. The message is clear: the ecosystem has become a victim category, and the government has reacted to this wave of kidnappings.

The note attributes these orders to “masterminds” generally located outside France. This detail changes everything: it reduces the risk for the masterminds and complicates the investigation, as borders become a layer of protection. Crypto-related crime internationalizes while the target remains local.

And 2026 begins at a more nervous pace. Recent attempts, including one targeting a crypto sector leader, show acceleration. Cases no longer just exist; they multiply and test the limits of the security response.

Local “Recruiters” and Young Workforce

SIRASCO, the judicial police analysis service, wrote the document. Their reading is structured: masterminds pass “directly” through intermediaries in France, described as recruiters. These relays play the most underestimated role: they transform a distant order into concrete action.

Perpetrators are often under 30 years old, with histories related to violent offenses, thefts, or trafficking. This is not a sociological detail, it is an operational indicator: recruitment is not random, but where the moral barrier is already cracked.

SIRASCO also describes a task distribution: some are responsible for online intimidation, others for managing physical coercion and detention. It’s cold, almost “professionalized.” And that’s precisely what makes the phenomenon dangerous: it standardizes itself.

The Real Fuel: Social Networks and the “Crypto Showcase”

The victim profile, according to the police, is similar: mostly men aged 20 to 35, active in crypto, often investors, entrepreneurs, or influencers. Not necessarily the richest. But the most exposed. The nuance is essential: in attackers’ imagination, exposure equals proof.

Investigators explain that criminals spot the existence, or even the mere rumor, of crypto fortune via TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube. “Lifestyle” content then turns into unwitting intelligence files: habits, routes, entourage, frequented places.

In this context, every debate about social media privacy feeds mistrust, especially when a data leak rumor circulates, even denied by platforms like Meta. Result: online exposure becomes an additional risk, and a simple Reel can earn criminals weeks of reconnaissance.