📰 【Surge in Crypto Kidnappings in France: 135 Cases in Two and a Half Years, Involving Minors; 75 People Detained】

BlockBeats reported that on April 25, the French Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office (PNACO) released a statement saying that since 2023, France has recorded a total of 135 kidnapping or attempted kidnapping cases related to cryptocurrencies. The data shows that among the 12 cases currently being handled by PNACO, a total of 88 people have been formally placed under investigation, including more than 10 minors, and about 75 people have been detained pending trial. The prosecution said the increase in the number of cases is due to judicial authorities consolidating multiple scattered cases to address the rapid evolution of criminal activities related to crypto assets. The data shows that there were 18 related cases in 2024, rising to...
This French data is enough to raise people’s blood pressure. 135 crypto kidnapping cases, 75 people locked up—minors are even getting pulled into it. No matter how large the on-chain transaction volume of $BTC and $ETH is, it can’t stop these people from kidnapping for a few coins. If European regulators don’t hardcode KYC and AML rules, simply catching people won’t be enough to suppress the expansion of the criminal chain.