Cryptocurrency Sector: Kidnapping Attempt Foiled Near Nantes, Over Twenty Arrested Across France

A large-scale operation on Monday, May 26, 2025, prevented a kidnapping attempt in Couëron (Loire-Atlantique), targeting an individual connected to the cryptocurrency sector. According to a source close to the investigation, confirmed by H24 MEDIA and reported by RTL and Le Parisien, around ten suspects were arrested in the Nantes area just minutes before the plan was to be executed.

The following day, Tuesday, May 27, a new wave of arrests targeted a group involved in another kidnapping attempt on May 13 in Paris’s 11th arrondissement. On that day, the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, founder of the Paymium platform, were targeted in broad daylight. The entire alleged kidnapping team is now in custody.

A String of Crimes Targeting the Crypto Ecosystem

These arrests are part of a sprawling investigation led by the Brigade de Répression du Banditisme (BRB), assisted by the Brigade de Recherche et d’Intervention (BRI). They focus on several recent cases involving violent extortion against figures linked to the crypto sector and their relatives.

One notable case occurred on May 1, when the father of a cryptocurrency entrepreneur was kidnapped in broad daylight in Paris. Held captive for two days in Essonne, he was mutilated—a finger was severed—to demand a multi-million euro ransom. The victim was freed on May 3 by the BRI. Six individuals have been charged in this case.

Another case took place in late January when David Balland, co-founder of Ledger, was abducted along with his partner and violently held for 48 hours. In all cases, kidnappers demanded large sums in cryptocurrency and resorted to torture to pressure families.

Links Between Cases Yet to Be Confirmed

While investigators are exploring the possibility of a structured network operating nationwide, no formal connections between the different groups have yet been established. The inquiry continues to unravel possible links between the various teams, which appear to be increasingly targeting France’s cryptocurrency ecosystem with precision.