French Police Investigate Kidnapping That Forced €900,000 Bitcoin Transfer

French authorities are investigating a violent home invasion that led to the forced transfer of about €900,000 in bitcoin from a couple in their late 50s. The attack happened Monday morning in Chesnay, a suburb west of Paris located in the Yvelines department.

Prosecutors in Versailles said three suspects posed as police officers to gain entry to the home. When the 58-year-old woman opened the door, the intruders forced their way inside and threatened the couple.

Good to Know

• Suspects forced a €900,000 bitcoin transfer during a home invasion
• Attack occurred in Chesnay near Paris on Monday morning
• Case is under investigation as kidnapping and armed robbery

Investigators say one suspect held a knife and threatened the woman unless her 59-year-old husband transferred cryptocurrency to an account controlled by the attackers. Under pressure, the husband completed the transaction and sent the bitcoin.

After the transfer, the suspects tied the man up and forced both victims to sit on a sofa. Police sources said the woman suffered a shoulder injury during the incident.

The suspects later fled the property in a white van. The situation ended around 9 a.m. local time when the injured woman managed to free her husband and contact neighbors for help.

Crypto Kidnappings Rising in France

Authorities are treating the case as kidnapping, armed robbery by an organized group, and criminal conspiracy. The investigation is being handled by the Brigade de répression du banditisme, a specialized police unit focused on organized crime.

No arrests had been announced as of Tuesday.

French investigators say attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders have increased since early 2025 as digital asset wealth becomes more visible.

One of the most well known cases occurred in January 2025 when David Balland, co-founder of crypto hardware wallet company Ledger, was kidnapped. French tactical units later rescued Balland during an operation carried out by the GIGN while gendarmes freed his wife in a separate rescue.

Another incident happened on May last year in central Paris when masked attackers abducted the daughter of a man known for holding large cryptocurrency wealth. Police later located and freed the victim after kidnappers demanded several million euros in crypto.