France Records 10th Crypto-Linked Kidnapping in 2025 as ‘Wrench Attacks’ Surge
A disturbing trend of crypto-related kidnappings continues to escalate in France, with the country now accounting for nearly a third of such incidents reported globally in 2025.
The latest case, confirmed by Le Parisien and tracked by cypherpunk researcher Jameson Lopp, occurred in Maisons-Alfort, a southeastern suburb of Paris.
According to the report, a 23-year-old man was abducted on Tuesday while running errands. He was allegedly coerced into calling his partner and instructing her to hand over a bag containing a Ledger hardware wallet — used to store the private key for his crypto assets — along with €5,000 in cash.
“Violence was used to make him talk,” an unnamed source told Le Parisien. After the handoff, the attackers reportedly released the victim in nearby Créteil. Authorities have not yet disclosed his identity or confirmed whether any suspects have been apprehended.
The incident marks the 10th confirmed “wrench attack” — a term coined to describe physical coercion to extract crypto keys — in France this year alone. In total, at least 32 such attacks have been reported globally in 2025, according to an open database maintained by Jameson Lopp, who has tracked these events for nearly a decade.
As the frequency of these violent incidents rises, security experts are urging crypto holders to reconsider their asset storage strategies and take additional precautions to prevent real-world threats.
Kosta Gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta joined the team in 2021 and quickly established himself with his thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication, and analytical thinking. He not only covers a wide range of current topics, but also writes excellent reviews, PR articles, and educational materials. His articles are also quoted by other news agencies.
