2 weeks ago
A U.S. cryptocurrency capitalist is facing transgression charges aft allegedly kidnapping and torturing a antheral successful Manhattan for weeks successful an effort to bargain his bitcoin BTC.
John Woeltz, 37, was arraigned connected Saturday connected aggregate charges, including kidnapping, assault, and amerciable weapon possession, aft helium held a 28-year-old Italian antheral captive successful a luxury townhouse, authorities say.
The Italian antheral traveled to New York earlier this period and was lured to a five-story rental successful the NoLiTa neighborhood, wherever prosecutors accidental Woeltz and an unidentified accomplice began abusing him to get his crypto wallet credentials.
The townhouse, rented for astatine slightest $30,000 a month, became the tract of a weeks-long ordeal. Prosecutors accidental the unfortunate was beaten, shocked with electrical wires, and threatened astatine gunpoint.
At 1 point, helium was dangled implicit a staircase railing and told helium would beryllium killed if helium didn’t springiness in. He was besides warned his household would beryllium harmed, the New York Times reports.
The unfortunate escaped Friday morning, flagging down a postulation serviceman aft fleeing the house. Police arrested Woeltz astatine the country and discovered Polaroid photos showing the abuse, on with weapons and different torture equipment.
A 2nd person, Beatrice Folchi, was besides arrested, portion a 3rd fishy remains astatine large.
This onslaught is portion of a troubling pattern: the cryptocurrency manufacture has seen dozens of carnal assaults this twelvemonth alone. In 1 caller case, the girl and grandson of Pierre Noizat, CEO of crypto level Paymium, were targeted successful an attempted kidnapping caught connected video and posted online.
That effort failed, but earlier successful the aforesaid city, a crypto millionaire’s father was abducted and had a digit severed earlier being rescued.
In yet different incident, David Balland, co-founder of hardware wallet shaper Ledger, and his woman were kidnapped from their home. They were aboriginal rescued by authorities, and a paid ransom was seized.
English (US) 