A couple in their late fifties was held hostage inside their home in France and forced to transfer €900,000 worth of crypto assets to their attackers.
The incident happened on Monday morning in the town of Le Chesnay, located in the Yvelines department near Paris. Three individuals broke into the couple’s home and carried out the attack.
According to information shared by the investigation team, the suspects pretended to be police officers in order to gain access into the house. When the woman opened the door, she was pushed aside as the attackers forced their way inside.
Once they managed to get inside, one of the suspects pulled out a knife and threatened the woman. The attackers warned that they would harm her if her husband did not transfer the equivalent of €900,000 in cryptocurrency to a wallet that they controlled.
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Out of fear for his wife’s safety, the man carried out the transfer as they demanded. After the suspects confirmed they had received the crypto funds, they forced the victims onto a sofa in their home. The husband was tied up while the wife sustained a minor shoulder injury during the attack.
The attackers then fled the scene in a white van. Immediately after they left, the injured woman managed to free her husband, and he then contacted her neighbors, who helped to alert the security authorities about the incident. Emergency responders later arrived at the scene to assist the victims.
French authorities have opened an investigation regarding the crypto theft case. Prosecutors in Versailles confirmed that the case is being treated as kidnapping and armed robbery carried out by an organized group, along with criminal conspiracy.
At this stage, no suspects have been arrested, and authorities are continuing their efforts to identify and locate the individuals involved.
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