According to French outlet Europe 1, a TikTok crypto content creator was abducted Friday night in Juvisy-sur-Orge, a suburb south of Paris. The 26-year-old was beaten and shoved into a stolen vehicle by four assailants who demanded €50,000 in cryptocurrency.
But their plan unraveled when the trader — who has built a modest TikTok following of 40,000 — showed them his account balance and explained he couldn’t pay. After verifying he was effectively broke, the kidnappers released him unharmed on Saturday.
French police on high alert
The case is now being handled by France’s Organized and Specialized Crime Division, which has issued the trader six days of official work incapacity leave due to the incident.
It’s part of a troubling trend. France has experienced a surge in crypto-linked abductions in recent months — often targeting entrepreneurs or their families.
On May 13, the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, CEO of French crypto exchange Paymium, were nearly kidnapped.
On May 3, police freed the father of another crypto entrepreneur, who had been held for days and had a finger severed during a €7 million ransom attempt.
Network of kidnappers uncovered
The French prosecutor’s office has taken aggressive action. On May 31, 25 suspects were charged in connection to multiple coordinated plots targeting crypto figures. One week later, on June 4, a suspected ringleader was arrested in Morocco.
Law enforcement sources suggest the attacks are being driven by criminal networks exploiting social media visibility.
Crypto may be decentralized — but criminals are watching TikTok. In France, a wave of real-world violence is colliding with digital assets, forcing both users and regulators to take new precautions.
Disclosure: This article does not represent investment advice. The content and materials featured on this page are for educational purposes only.
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