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The French National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor's Office (Pnaco) has stated that cases of kidnapping and illegal detention involving cryptocurrency are continuing to surge. Among the 12 related cases currently under investigation, 88 people have been prosecuted, including more than 10 minors, and another 75 are in custody awaiting trial.Prosecutor's data shows that since 2023, French law enforcement has recorded 135 such cases, with 18 in 2024, rising to 67 in 2025, and reaching 47 so far in 2026. Many of these cases involve violent kidnappings, ransom extortion, and forcing victims to transfer cryptocurrency assets. The prosecution pointed out that some suspects have appeared multiple times in different cases, indicating the formation of a structured criminal network behind it. The previous kidnapping incident involving Ledger co-founder David Balland is also seen as an important sign of the escalating security risks in the French cryptocurrency industry.

According to French media reports, on the morning of April 20 local time, a malicious "targeted robbery of crypto assets" occurred in Ploudalmézeau, France: two masked gunmen broke into a residence, controlling and binding a family of five (including two children and two elderly individuals) for several hours, ultimately coercing the victims to transfer approximately 700,000 euros worth of cryptocurrency.The incident took place in a residential community in broad daylight, and the suspects were clearly "well-prepared," having a thorough understanding of the victims' crypto asset holdings. Police initially determined that this case represents a typical new crime model of "offline violence + on-chain transfer," where personal threats are used to forcibly obtain private keys or transfer authorizations.It is noteworthy that the family members of the victims were engaged in work related to the crypto industry, which may have been a significant reason for this targeted crime. The case is still under investigation, and the suspects have not yet been arrested.This incident once again highlights that, against the backdrop of the increasing popularity of crypto assets, "physical world attacks" (such as kidnapping and home invasion) are becoming new security risk points, and personal asset security is no longer limited to on-chain protection.

France has become a hotspot for wrench attacks, with at least 41 reported cases of kidnappings and home invasions related to cryptocurrency this year, averaging one incident every 2.5 days. Jean-Didier Berger, the Minister of the Interior's representative, stated that he is preparing a series of new measures with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to address this issue.A wrench attack refers to physically coercing victims to transfer cryptocurrency assets through bodily violence. Data from Certik and Jameson Lopp shows that the number of verified physical coercion incidents globally reached 72 in 2025, a 75% increase year-on-year, with cases involving physical attacks rising by 250% year-on-year. David Balland, co-founder of Ledger, was kidnapped in France in January 2025. Security researchers point out that attackers are shifting from searching for wallets to hunting individuals, targeting victims through social media and leaked data.Due to the irreversible nature of cryptocurrency transactions, attackers often convert illegal gains into stablecoins and transfer them across chains to evade detection. Experts recommend using tools such as multi-signature, withdrawal delays, and spending limits to reduce the risk of being attacked.

French Interior Minister representative Jean-Didier Berger stated at the Paris Blockchain Week that France is preparing to introduce new measures to protect cryptocurrency holders. He revealed that authorities have launched a prevention platform and attracted thousands of registrations, while working with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to develop a more stringent response plan, expected to be implemented in the coming weeks.In this context, there have been 41 cryptocurrency-related kidnapping cases in France in 2026, averaging one every 2.5 days; in 2025, global incidents of such "ransom attacks" increased by 75% year-on-year, with France being the most severely affected country in the world, accounting for about 40% of the total incidents in Europe.

According to the official announcement, Upbit has announced that it will delist the NAP/BTC trading pair on May 18.

Farcaster posted, "There will be no token issuance. The 'token discussion' circulating in the market is actually related to Hypersnap, which is a fork project of the Farcaster protocol. The Hypersnap team refers to its token as the 'Farcaster token' in discussions, which has led to confusion among users who are not familiar with the technical details.It is important to clarify that this is not a comment on the fork project itself. We just want to avoid this kind of speculation that continues to create unnecessary noise, such as bot accounts, airdrop users, and scam accounts, all of which can affect the overall network experience. It should be made clear that there is no so-called Farcaster protocol token airdrop."

According to DL News, David Balland, co-founder of the French company Ledger, was kidnapped by a criminal gang in January 2025. The assailants cut off his fingers and demanded a ransom of $11.5 million in Bitcoin. After the incident, the police acted quickly, rescuing Balland and his partner, and arrested 10 suspects at the scene, but one suspect escaped to Spain amid the chaos. After weeks of joint pursuit by the police of both countries, the suspect was eventually captured in Benalmádena, Spain.Currently, the Fuengirola court is advancing the extradition process based on the European Arrest Warrant agreement, and French authorities have confirmed that they have identified and arrested all individuals involved.

According to Cripto Noticias, a kidnapping incident aimed at stealing BTC and cryptocurrency private keys occurred recently in Madrid, Spain. A 33-year-old Canadian cryptocurrency entrepreneur was forcibly pushed into a rented van with altered license plates by several men. Witnesses immediately called the police, and the Spanish National Police intercepted the vehicle near Atocha Station, successfully rescuing the victim. Two Serbian suspects, aged 32 and 45, were arrested on the spot, while another suspect remains at large.According to police investigations, this kidnapping was a premeditated act. The victim had previously traveled from Barcelona to Madrid for financial business discussions and was suspected to have been tracked by the suspects beforehand. The suspects intended to use personal coercion to force the victim to hand over the mnemonic phrase and private keys of the cryptocurrency wallet, a method known in the security field as a "wrench attack." Police seized plastic zip ties and pills as tools used in the crime from the vehicle. Additionally, the suspects attempted to steal a luxury watch worth 100,000 euros from the victim. The victim was not seriously injured, and the case is still under investigation.This case is one of a series of personal attacks against cryptocurrency holders in Europe in 2026, with France recording 11 related cases this year.

According to DL News, the police in Lyon, France, have arrested 12 suspects allegedly involved in planning a cryptocurrency kidnapping case from last year. Previously, about 150 armed police officers raided a building near the Valence train station in the Drôme region on August 31, 2025, rescuing a 22-year-old Swiss man who had been kidnapped for four days. The kidnappers demanded a ransom in cryptocurrency, and the victim suffered severe abuse and injury during his captivity.The police stated that these arrests are the result of months of investigation, and approximately 20 individuals have been identified and implicated. On the day of the operation, one mastermind and two others were arrested, and in early September, 7 more were apprehended, including 6 individuals aged between 24 and 30, and 1 minor under 18. The prosecution has charged these individuals with kidnapping, illegal detention, organized crime, extortion, illegal possession of weapons, and conspiracy.On March 2, the police launched another large-scale operation, arresting 18 people, of whom 3 were detained. Additionally, the Versailles police are pursuing 3 suspects who impersonated police officers to rob a couple of $1 million worth of Bitcoin at knife point. From 2023 to the end of 2025, the French police have handled a total of 40 cryptocurrency-related kidnapping cases.

According to CoinDesk, former Snapchat strategic chief Imran Khan stated that cryptocurrency plays a minimal role in its AI strategy, and the driving forces behind cryptocurrency and AI are fundamentally different investment philosophies.His company, Proem Asset Management, focuses its AI investments on productivity and economic growth while limiting direct token investments and viewing cryptocurrency-related investments as part of a broader technological agenda.Nevertheless, according to its latest 13F filing, Proem holds shares in Coinbase (COIN), Robinhood (HOOD), and Bitcoin miner Iren (IREN), and it holds spot Bitcoin through the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).

A former police officer in Los Angeles, Eric Halem, was found guilty by a jury of kidnapping and robbery for his involvement in a violent extortion case targeting cryptocurrency holders.The incident occurred in 2024 in an apartment in Koreatown, Los Angeles, where Eric Halem and his accomplices impersonated law enforcement officers, entered the premises, and held a 17-year-old cryptocurrency holder at gunpoint, seizing a hard drive containing the private keys to approximately $350,000 worth of Bitcoin. The related charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

BSC ecological prediction platform Opinion posted on platform X, stating, "The snapshot of S1 has been completed, and S2 is now officially launched.From now until March 15 at 15:59 (UTC), the transaction fee is 50% off for two weeks, and the PTS from the last two weeks (February 15 to 28) will be counted as double, included in both S1 and S2."

According to the Xinmin Evening News, a 38-year-old Chinese businessman, Wang, was kidnapped and killed in Turkey, and 10 suspects have been arrested. Investigations show that the suspects began tracking the victim from Istanbul Airport and lured him into a trap through a female companion. When Wang left the restaurant with the woman, four suspects forcibly shoved him into another vehicle.Police discovered Wang's body days later, with his hands, feet, and mouth bound with tape, and his head severely injured. The suspects had a debt dispute with Wang, and they stole the victim's phone and extracted a large amount of funds from his cryptocurrency wallet. On the day of the incident, the woman involved fled Turkey, and after the other suspects left the country, an arrest warrant was issued by Interpol. Currently, all 10 suspects, including the woman, have been apprehended.

According to the Xinmin Evening News, a 38-year-old Chinese businessman, Wang, was kidnapped and killed in Turkey, and 10 suspects have been arrested.The investigation shows that the suspects began tracking the victim from Istanbul Airport and lured him into a trap through a female accomplice. When Wang left the restaurant with the woman, four suspects forcibly shoved him into another vehicle. Police discovered Wang's body days later, with his hands, feet, and mouth bound with tape, and his head severely injured. The suspects had a debt dispute with Wang, and they stole the victim's phone and extracted a large amount of money from his cryptocurrency wallet.On the day of the incident, the woman involved fled Turkey, and after the other suspects left the country, an arrest warrant was issued by Interpol. Currently, all 10 suspects, including the woman, have been apprehended.

According to a report by the BBC, a kidnapping case in Tucson, Arizona, has drawn national attention. Nancy Guthrie, the mother of well-known morning show host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her home in the early hours of February 1, and police believe she was forcibly taken. Once the case was made public, it quickly became a focal point of public opinion, with numerous media outlets and online amateur detectives flocking to the area, making Tucson a center of global attention.Police stated that the identity of the suspect has not yet been confirmed, and the investigation is still ongoing. Reports indicate that the kidnappers may have demanded a ransom in Bitcoin through anonymous means, showcasing a new characteristic of using cryptocurrency for extortion.A former FBI negotiator pointed out that although the suspect appeared at the door in surveillance footage wearing a mask, it is difficult for those involved to remain hidden under such intense scrutiny and ongoing exposure.The White House has stated that the FBI will dedicate all resources to assist in the investigation. As the case continues to develop, the local community has hung yellow ribbons and posted missing person flyers, with various sectors of society calling on the public to provide leads.

In response to the user's question on the X platform regarding "Has a (airdrop) snapshot been taken?", Polymarket's market head William LeGate stated that it has not yet been done.According to previous news from ChainCatcher, Polymarket will extend its fees to the sports market, starting February 18, it will charge for NCAA and Serie A events.

According to TMZ, 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 1, with blood left at the scene. The kidnappers sent a ransom note to TMZ and two local television stations, demanding a ransom of 6 million dollars in Bitcoin.Law enforcement released images of a suspect on February 10, showing a man wearing a ski mask and carrying a handgun tampering with the doorbell camera. Investigations suggest that the kidnappers may be from the Tucson area, with an activity range within a 700-mile radius of Tucson.The latest breakthrough is the first activity in the Bitcoin account specified in the ransom note. Despite two ransom deadlines having passed, "TODAY" host Savannah Guthrie is still attempting to contact the kidnappers and is willing to pay the ransom. Nancy needs a heart pacemaker and daily medication, and the FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information.

French police have arrested six suspects in connection with the kidnapping of a judge and her mother. According to Agence France-Presse, the 35-year-old judge and her 67-year-old mother were kidnapped overnight from Wednesday to Thursday last week and were later found injured and trapped in a garage in the Drôme region.Prosecutor Thierry Dran stated that the kidnappers sent photos and messages to the judge's partner, threatening to maim the victims if the ransom in cryptocurrency was not paid. The victims ultimately escaped with the intervention of a neighbor, without any ransom being paid. CertiK reported that such cryptocurrency ransomware attacks are evolving into organized crime, with 72 cases globally in 2025, resulting in total losses of $41 million. Currently, six suspects have been detained, including a minor, and the case is still under further investigation.

In the investigation of the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, on the "TODAY" show, a ransom email demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin has emerged. The gossip news site TMZ reported receiving this ransom email, which included a Bitcoin address, a deadline, and threatening content.Nancy Guthrie went missing from her home in Arizona on January 31, and the police are treating the case as a "possible kidnapping." In recent years, the use of cryptocurrency in kidnapping and ransom cases has been on the rise, with a record 72 violent wrench attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders globally in 2025, a 75% increase from 2024.

According to Actu17, the police in the Isère department of France reported that a 74-year-old man was kidnapped at his home on January 25 and subsequently transferred to a bar in the Drôme department, where he suffered approximately 16 hours of illegal detention and severe abuse, including facial cuts and the amputation of a finger. The suspects mistakenly believed that his son was a cryptocurrency millionaire and demanded a ransom of 3 million euros in cryptocurrency, sending videos of the abuse via encrypted communication to apply pressure.The police later arrested three suspects in their twenties in the Rhône Valley area. The three have been formally charged and detained on charges including organized kidnapping, torture, and barbaric acts. Investigations indicate that the suspects may have acted under the direction of others.