- A crypto executive’s daughter survived a kidnapping attempt in Paris this week.
- The crypto-rich list is growing, creating potential for criminal profiling in the industry.
The daughter of a crypto tycoon in Paris recently escaped from the hands of kidnappers. After a violent struggle, the masked gang drove off the streets of Paris empty-handed. An onlooker in Paris’s 11th district, east of the French capital, captured the botched kidnap bid on camera.
Details of the Botched Kidnap
According to reports, the kidnapped survivor, the daughter of a crypto company boss, fought off three attackers. The men eventually fled in a van when passers-by rushed to her aid. The attack is the latest in a series of abductions targeting French crypto figures or their relatives.
For now, the Paris police brigade that tackles armed robbery is expected to investigate the attack. According to reports from local media, the attack unfolded on Tuesday at about 08:20 local time. According to the story, three men leapt from a white van and tried to kidnap the crypto chief’s daughter and her child.
The woman was with her husband at the time of the attack, who tried to protect them. The kidnappers hit him repeatedly over the head, but the couple shouted for help as the masked men tried to pull them apart.
The video showed the woman grab a firearm from the attacker at one point. She threw it into the street. Police later described the weapon as a replica air gun. The street was relatively busy at the time of the attack, with children on their way to a local primary school.
Passers-by appeared too afraid to intervene initially, but as locals began to react, the three attackers eventually gave up. They jumped into the van as a fourth gang member drove them away.
The family received treatment in a local hospital for minor injuries. Meanwhile, the incident happened only a week after French police rescued the father of a crypto millionaire from kidnappers. The attack occurred in another area of the capital while the man walked his dog. As reported, the victim gained freedom three days later after his kidnappers had cut off one of his fingers.
2025 Crypto Billionaires
The cryptocurrency sector is becoming more lucrative, turning some people into billionaires. As featured in our recent coverage, 16 crypto billionaires were identified in Forbes’ 2025 World Billionaires List.
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao remains the wealthiest figure in the crypto industry with a net worth of $69 billion. Giancarlo Devasini, the CFO and the largest shareholder of Tether, followed Zhao on the list with a net worth of $22.4 billion.
Coinbase co-founder Brian Armstrong also featured on the list. Armstrong’s success at Coinbase has earned him a $9.2 billion fortune. Tron founder Justin Sun becomes the newest featured crypto billionaire, added to the Forbes list of billionaires with a net worth of $8.5 billion.
This surge in billionaire wealth coincides with Bitcoin’s rally this year. It also aligns with the pro-crypto shift in U.S. leadership following the 2024 election of Donald Trump as the first openly pro-crypto President. As we reported last week, Trump’s son Eric confirmed the President holds a large amount of Bitcoin.
With the rise in the crypto-rich list, many have become targets of criminals, a trend that calls for caution in the broader industry.
