France Charges 25 in Crypto Kidnapping Ring Targeting Executives

French authorities have charged 25 people, including six minors, in connection with a series of failed kidnappings targeting prominent figures in the cryptocurrency industry, notably the family members of Paymium CEO Pierre Noizat. The investigation centers on a May 13 daylight attack in Paris, where masked assailants attempted to abduct Noizat's daughter and grandson, an incident that was captured on viral video; other foiled attempts include an earlier attack on the same family and a thwarted abduction near Nantes. The suspects, mostly French-born youths aged 16 to 23, with a few from Senegal, Angola, and Russia, are believed to be low-level operatives hired by an international criminal network, possibly based in Southeast Asia, aiming to extort crypto executives. Defense lawyers emphasize the defendants' young age and vulnerability to exploitation, highlighting the complexity of the criminal operations behind these kidnappings. The rise in such violent attacks has prompted French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau to collaborate with crypto firms on enhanced security measures, while the insurance industry is developing kidnap and ransom policies tailored to digital asset investors. This wave of crypto-targeted crimes reflects broader global trends of increasing physical threats against digital wealth holders, underscoring urgent needs for improved protection and regulatory measures in France's growing crypto sector.