Attempted Abduction in Paris: Family Members of a Cryptocurrency Executive Targeted in Broad Daylight

A violent attempted kidnapping occurred on Tuesday, May 13, around 8:20 a.m., in Paris’s 11th arrondissement, on Rue Pache. A man and a woman, five months pregnant, accompanied by a child, were assaulted in the street by a masked commando of four individuals, according to police sources confirmed by H24 NEWS, and Le Parisien.

The victims, who are close relatives of a well-known cryptocurrency entrepreneur, were walking with their child when three masked attackers exited a white van bearing a Chronopost logo. They sprayed the victims with a chemical irritant and attempted to force them into the vehicle. A fourth suspect remained behind the wheel.

Bystanders Prevent the Kidnapping

The man tried to intervene but was severely beaten with blunt objects. A video filmed by a witness from a nearby apartment shows the attackers physically assaulting the couple, trying to force them into the van. Swift intervention by passersby disrupted the attack. One witness managed to grab a firearm that had fallen to the ground—later identified as an airsoft replica.

The assailants fled the scene in the van, which was later found abandoned a few hundred meters away. The three victims, all slightly injured and in shock, were taken to Saint-Antoine Hospital. A psychological support unit was activated in nearby Saint-Maur and Roquette schools, where about fifteen students reportedly witnessed the scene.

Organized Crime Investigation Opened

The Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation for “attempted kidnapping,” “unlawful detention by an organized group,” “aggravated assault,” and “participation in a criminal conspiracy to commit a felony.” The case has been assigned to the Anti-Gang Unit (BRB). No arrests have been made so far, but police interviews and forensic investigations are underway.

This incident adds to growing concerns over the safety of cryptocurrency executives and their families. Just days earlier, on May 3, police rescued the father of another crypto firm CEO after he had been abducted and held for three days.