A London court handed down guilty verdicts to five men who kidnapped and tortured two French cryptocurrency millionaires for 52 hours straight, demanding $150,000 in ransom. The case marks another chapter in a growing wave of violent attacks targeting crypto holders worldwide.
The victims, both in their 20s, were snatched from their rented Mercedes in Shadwell after parking near Kensington. Three masked attackers forced them at gunpoint into the vehicle and drove them to a flat in Canning Town. What followed was systematic brutality. The men were bound with tape and cable ties, beaten, starved, and had socks stuffed into their mouths. During captivity, boiling water was poured over their bodies. One victim had a cigarette extinguished in his mouth. Both were threatened with castration unless they paid up. One claims he was forced to drink toilet water.
The captors walked away with only $30,000 in cryptocurrency before releasing one victim. The alleged mastermind, known as "Nino," remains at large. Prosecutors suggested the victims' publicly lavish lifestyles made them obvious targets, with prosecuting barrister Heidi Stonecliffe KC noting how social media and visible wealth can paint a bullseye on crypto holders.
Physical assaults on cryptocurrency owners have accelerated sharply across Europe, the U.S., and beyond in recent months. These aren't random muggings. Attackers specifically hunt down individuals known or suspected to hold digital assets, using force to extract wallet credentials or cryptocurrency transfers. The London case shows how the crypto world's transparency can become a liability when fortunes are on display.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or legal advice.
