Crypto CEO's family targeted in violent kidnapping attempt in Paris

A woman and her child, both related to a prominent French cryptocurrency executive, narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt in Paris on Tuesday, in what police are calling the latest in a string of violent incidents targeting figures in the digital finance world.

According to police sources, four masked men ambushed the woman, her partner, and their child in the 11th arrondissement (administrative district) of Paris. The attackers, armed and reportedly intent on abducting the woman and her child, tried to force them into a van. When the woman's partner intervened, he was beaten by the assailants. All three victims sustained minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital.

In a dramatic moment captured on surveillance video, one of the masked attackers was disarmed by the woman, who managed to grab his handgun and throw it away. The group’s screams reportedly alerted bystanders, prompting the attackers to flee. The van used in the attempted abduction was later recovered nearby by authorities.

The woman involved is the daughter of the CEO and co-founder of Paymium, Pierre Noizat, a well-known French cryptocurrency exchange platform.

This incident comes amid a rising tide of targeted violence against individuals connected to the crypto industry in France. In January, David Balland, co-founder of the Ledger crypto firm, and his partner were kidnapped. Balland endured severe torture during the ordeal, including the amputation of a finger, as kidnappers demanded a large cryptocurrency ransom. Prosecutors did not confirm whether the ransom was paid, but nine individuals, including the suspected ringleader, have since been arrested.

In another alarming case in May, a father was abducted in a plot to extort a crypto ransom from his millionaire son. French police managed to free the hostage during a raid and arrested seven people in connection with the incident.

These incidents are unfolding against a backdrop of escalating organized crime in France. Last year, gunmen wearing balaclavas ambushed a prison transport van and killed two guards while freeing a notorious drug lord, Mohamed Amra, also known as “The Fly.” He was later recaptured and extradited from Romania.

The wave of kidnappings has reignited concerns about the vulnerability of cryptocurrency holders to criminal activity. International regulatory bodies have repeatedly sounded the alarm about the use of digital currencies in illicit finance.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which monitors global money laundering and terrorist financing threats, has warned that crypto assets “risk becoming a safe haven for the financial transactions of criminals and terrorists.”