**French Police Save Kidnapped Father of Crypto Millionaire Amid Rising Abductions**

The incident highlights the dangers faced by families connected to the crypto industry in France.

 

French law enforcement has successfully rescued the father of a cryptocurrency millionaire after he was kidnapped in a brazen daylight attack in central Paris. According to reports, the victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, was forcibly taken by four masked men on Thursday and subsequently held for ransom in a house located in Palaiseau, south of the capital.

Upon rescue on Saturday, police discovered the man with a severed finger, raising alarms over the brutality displayed by his captors. The kidnappers reportedly demanded a ransom ranging from 5 to 7 million euros (approximately £4.2 to £5.9 million) from the victim’s affluent son, stirring concerns over the safety of those involved in the cryptocurrency sector.

French media outlet Le Figaro reported that the police traced the location of the hostage via mobile phone signals, leading to the arrest of four suspects who are currently undergoing interrogation. The incident marks France's third abduction related to the cryptocurrency industry this year alone.

Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau praised the law enforcement officers for their "exceptional job" in securing the victim’s release. This latest event follows a similar case involving David Balland, a co-founder of the crypto firm Ledger, who was kidnapped earlier this year alongside his wife. They were rescued shortly after their abduction, but the parallels highlight an alarming trend in rising violence associated with cryptocurrency wealth.

In a separate incident early this year, a 56-year-old man was found alive in the trunk of a car near Le Mans after being abducted, with attempts made to extort a ransom from his son, a crypto influencer based in Dubai. The troubling pattern of kidnappings emphasizes the growing risks that come with cryptocurrency-related affluence in France.