French Police Arrest Six in Crypto-Linked Magistrate Kidnapping Case

French police have made quick progress in a high-profile kidnapping case using cryptocurrencies. They six suspects later than a magistrate and her elderly mother went through a terrifying 30-hour ordeal.

The victims, a 35-year-old magistrate from Grenoble and her 67-year-old mother, were taken from their house in the Isère department overnight Wednesday to Thursday. They were found hurt but alive in a garage in the nearby Drôme region on Friday morning.

Lyon prosecutor Thierry Dran said the kidnappers targeted the magistrate’s partner, a top executive at a Authorities think the goal was to extort him by threatening to hurt the hostages if they didn’t pay up rapidly in cryptocurrencies. The captives managed to raise the alarm and escape without any ransom being sent, ending the captivity before the perpetrators could succeed. 

Arrests Follow Intensive Police Operation

On Sunday, February 8, prosecutors confirmed the arrests. They said that four men and one woman were first arrested, three overnight and two on Sunday morning. A youngster was arrested later that later thannoon. The Lyon public prosecutor’s office said that six people were involved, including the underage suspect.

later than the partner got a threatening message with a picture of the tied-up hostages, a search involving about 160 officers began. At this point, no specific information about the confiscated objects or additional charges has been made public.

However, the quick arrests show that the investigation was thorough in a case that involved both classic violent crime and extortion.

Broader Surge in Crypto-Related “Wrench Attacks” in France

This kidnapping fits with a worrying pattern of kidnappings and brutal extortions tied to cryptocurrencies that are happening throughout France. Authorities have accused 25 people, including some children, of similar crimes in 2025. In most of these cases, the criminals asked for ransoms in digital currencies.

Some of the most notable past events include an attempted kidnapping of Paymium crypto platform co-founder Pierre Noizat’s daughter and grandson, which was stopped when the victim fought back; a brutal attack on a user near Paris that was meant to force crypto transfers; and the kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland and his partner, during which Balland’s fingers were partially cut off before he was released.

Jameson Lopp, a security advocate, pointed out that “8 of the 10 wrench attacks so far this year have been in France,” suggesting that the country has far more of these attacks than others. Kevin Loaec, a French BTC developer, that “kidnappings are happening every two days in France now.” 

He said that this is because people think the police aren’t doing enough to stop them: “Kidnappers basically don’t get punished.” Influencer Joe Nakamoto those in France who had their crypto stolen to “LEAVE. GET OUT.” Wrench attacks happen every day.

Experts say that to reduce the risks of self-custodied crypto settings, people can use preventive measures, including time-locked vaults, decoy wallets, withdrawal delays, and keeping a low public profile.

What This Means for Crypto Security and Law Enforcement

The failed kidnapping of a magistrate and the arrests that followed show that criminals are becoming bolder when it comes to stealing . They also show that French police can act rapidly when victims go away unharmed. 

As digital assets continue to draw illegal attention, this instance strengthens demands for crypto users to be more careful and for tougher deterrents against physical coercion. France is becoming a hotbed of these mixed crimes, and further investigations may reveal more about organised networks targeting the sector.