Masked Men Target Cryptocurrency Heiress in Brazen Paris Abduction Bid

The daughter of a prominent cryptocurrency executive narrowly escaped an attempted kidnapping by masked assailants in central Paris on Tuesday morning, with police linking the incident to organized crime.

Paris Anti-Gang Unit Probes Daylight Abduction Attempt Linked to Crypto Industry

The 34-year-old woman, whose father leads a major cryptocurrency exchange, was targeted around 8:20 a.m. on Rue Pache in the 11th arrondissement. Three masked men attempted to force her into a van marked with the Chronopost delivery service logo while she was walking with her 2-year-old child, according to Paris authorities. Le Parisien reporters Denis Courtine, Benjamin Derveaux, and Cindy Bonnaud first reported the incident.

The child’s father intervened during the attack, sustaining injuries as he confronted the assailants. Witnesses reported hearing the victim’s screams as the suspects struck the man and tried to drag the woman into the vehicle. According to the report, a bystander told Le Parisien, that the assailants appeared to drop a handgun before fleeing; investigators are determining if the weapon was functional.

Stunned pedestrians watched as the suspects retreated into the van’s cargo area and sped away. Police later located the abandoned vehicle within the same district. The child was unharmed, though officials have not clarified how they avoided being taken. The Paris public prosecutor’s office has assigned the case to its anti-gang brigade, which specializes in organized crime. While the motive remains unclear, the victim’s familial ties to the cryptocurrency sector have drawn scrutiny.

In recent years, France has witnessed a troubling rise in violent abductions aimed at cryptocurrency investors and their relatives. Organized crime groups have seized victims, frequently extorting ransoms worth millions—demanded in digital currency—and employing brutal tactics, including amputating fingers, to coerce desperate families. French authorities are reviewing surveillance footage and witness accounts to identify the suspects. No arrests have been made.