Kidnapping Incident in Brazil
In a startling incident in Brazil, law enforcement has apprehended four suspects linked to the kidnapping of a retired teacher, the mother of a cryptocurrency trader. The group reportedly demanded a ransom exceeding 3.3 million reais (over $600,000) payable in Bitcoin.
Details of the Abduction
The local press indicated that the woman was abducted in March as she departed from a forum in Recife, targeted by a duo of men and women who believed she could access her son’s substantial crypto assets due to their surveillance of his social media activity.
Authorities have revealed that the perpetrators were able to identify her residence through the information presented in her son’s online posts. Following the abduction, they reportedly held her at gunpoint for 12 hours, pressuring her son, who resides in Portugal, to transfer five Bitcoin for her release.
Current Bitcoin Valuation
As of now, Bitcoin is valued at over $117,301, and despite achieving a record high of more than $124,000 earlier this week, the cryptocurrency’s price remains stable within a week-long and daily timeline.
Challenges in Recovery and Global Concerns
Police admitted the challenge of recovering the Bitcoin from the kidnappers. The rise of crypto-related kidnappings—often referred to as wrench attacks—has become a growing concern globally. Recently, a group of four individuals in London was convicted of abducting a barber after he had publicly flaunted a non-existent Bitcoin wealth online.
Recent Related Incidents
In addition, this summer, French authorities arrested 25 individuals in connection with a spate of crypto-related assaults and kidnapping attempts, which included a botched attempt to abduct the pregnant daughter of cryptocurrency exchange Paymium’s co-founder, Pierre Noizat. Earlier in the year, a high-profile case involved the kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland and his wife in France, where Balland suffered severe injuries before their rescue after roughly 24 hours.
Furthermore, in New York, two men pleaded not guilty to accusations of kidnapping and torturing a victim for Bitcoin, illustrating the alarming escalation of these incidents. Notably, data on wrench attacks shows that 2025 is already nearing the total number recorded in all of 2024.
