Cryptocurrency boss’ daughter escapes kidnapping attempt in Paris

A woman said to be the daughter of a French cryptocurrency boss narrowly avoided being kidnapped in Paris on Tuesday morning.

According to Le Parisien newspaper, the woman, who was out walking with her partner and their young child, was attacked at just after 8am on a street in Paris’ 11th arrondissement.

The French media said her partner managed to fend off the masked assailants who were trying to force the woman into a white van.

A video of the attack, which was shared online, also showed passers-by helping the couple.

One of them picked up a gun belonging to an assailant — which had fallen to the ground — and pointed it back at them, while another threw a red fire extinguisher in the direction of the masked men.

After failing in their kidnapping attempt, the attackers then drove away.

A spate of kidnappings

In recent months, across France and Europe a growing number cryptocurrency bosses and their families have been kidnapped or have escaped kidnapping attempts.

In early May, the father of a cryptocurrency boss spent three days in captivity, after he was kidnapped while walking his dog in Paris’ 14th arrondissement.

His kidnappers demanded a multi-million euro ransom in exchange for his release, sending a video of his mutilated finger to his son, according to French broadcaster Franceinfo.

Meanwhile, in January, David Balland, the 36-year-old co-founder of French crypto company Ledger, and his partner were kidnapped from their home in the small commune of Méreau, which is located in central-northern France.

Ledger co-founder Eric Larchevêque sounded the alarm after he received a video of Balland’s severed finger, accompanied by a cryptocurrency ransom demand.

Cryptocurrency figures and their relatives have also reportedly faced recent kidnapping attempts in Spain and Belgium.