France’s national anti-organized crime prosecutor has charged 88 individuals in connection with a widening series of violent attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders. The cases span 12 separate investigations and mark one of the most extensive legal actions taken in Europe against what authorities describe as structured crypto-related kidnapping networks.
Vanessa Perrée, France’s national prosecutor for organized crime, confirmed that the group includes 10 minors. She also stated that 75 of the accused remain in pre-trial detention while investigations continue under specialized judges at the Paris Judicial Court and supervision by the National Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (PNACO).
The prosecutions reflect a shift in how French authorities now interpret crypto-related violence. What began as isolated incidents has evolved into coordinated activity linked across multiple cases.
From isolated attacks to structured networks
Investigators said repeated links between suspects across different incidents led to the consolidation of several cases. Perrée described these connections as evidence of organized operations rather than independent criminal acts.
“These consolidations were made possible notably through the identification of individuals recurrently involved in multiple cases, thus revealing the existence of structured networks,” she said.
The charges include serious legal classifications such as abduction, sequestration in an organized group, extortion, and attempts to force crypto transfers under duress. Perrée said the severity of the crimes reflects both the physical harm inflicted and the coercive methods used to obtain digital assets.
Investigators continue to examine financial flows and recruitment patterns to identify broader organizers behind the attacks.
Sharp rise in crypto-linked kidnappings
The scale of the issue has expanded rapidly. PNACO recorded 18 incidents in 2024, followed by 67 cases in 2025. So far in 2026, 47 incidents have already been documented.
This brings the total number of recorded crypto kidnapping or “wrench attack” cases in France to more than 135 since 2023. The 2026 pace translates to roughly one incident every 2.5 days.
These figures place France at the center of a broader European trend. Authorities estimate the country accounts for about 40% of crypto-related ransom attacks across Europe. The rise comes after a reported 75% global increase in such crimes in 2025.
Violence escalates in ransom cases
Wrench attacks refer to physical coercion used to gain access to crypto wallets. Methods include kidnappings, home invasions, and extortion attempts aimed at forcing victims or relatives to transfer digital assets.
Some cases have escalated beyond financial coercion. In two separate incidents in 2025, attackers reportedly severed victims’ fingers before ransom payments were made. The cases marked a severe shift in tactics used by criminal groups targeting digital asset holders.
A high-profile rescue operation in 2026 involved France’s elite GIGN unit, which freed a mother and her 10-year-old son after they were held for approximately 20 hours. The attackers had demanded several hundred thousand euros from the father, a crypto entrepreneur.
Recruitment of younger suspects raises concern
The involvement of minors has drawn particular attention from investigators. Perrée confirmed that 10 of the 88 indicted suspects are underage. Authorities view this as evidence of recruitment strategies targeting younger individuals for participation in violent crimes.
Law enforcement agencies believe these networks operate across multiple cases, with individuals reappearing in different incidents. The pattern suggests structured organization rather than spontaneous or opportunistic attacks.
Casa chief security officer Jameson Lopp, who tracks wrench attacks globally, recorded 29 incidents so far this year, including five cases in April alone. His long-running dataset shows a consistent rise in physical crypto-related crimes since 2014.
Data leaks and digital exposure fuel targeting
Investigators and security researchers have pointed to leaked data from cryptocurrency platforms as a key enabler of targeted attacks. Criminal groups reportedly combine exchange leaks with publicly available information to identify individuals linked to large crypto holdings.
Blockchain security firm CertiK reported that global physical crypto attacks increased by 75% in 2025 compared with the previous year. TRM Labs also linked the growth in wrench attacks to the public visibility of wealth combined with accessible personal data online.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov suggested that leaked or misused investor data may have contributed to targeting patterns in France, though investigators have not confirmed specific sources of exposure.
Government response and prevention measures
France’s Interior Ministry is preparing a reinforced response plan in coordination with Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. A prevention platform designed for digital asset holders has already launched, attracting thousands of registrations.
Authorities have also urged crypto users to reduce public exposure of wealth-related information online. Perrée warned against “overexposure on social networks that could make them targets” and advised caution regarding individuals posing as investigators or officials.
Earlier this week, blockchain investigator ZachXBT helped freeze $800,000 in ransom funds linked to a kidnapping case involving a French content creator’s father, with assistance from Binance’s security team.
Expanding legal and security pressure
The indictments reflect growing pressure on both law enforcement and the crypto industry to address physical threats tied to digital wealth. Investigations continue into financial channels, recruitment structures, and coordination between suspects across multiple cases.
Authorities now focus on dismantling networks rather than responding to isolated crimes. The scale of indictments signals a broader shift in France’s approach to crypto-related organized crime as incidents continue to rise across 2026.
Tanya Petrusenko
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