Another crypto kidnapping in France. A 47-year-old man was held captive and beaten for two hours by three individuals who demanded €6 million in cryptocurrency. The victim managed to escape. He only had about €3,000 in his wallets. Key facts of the attack: Location and time: A residential house in Jouy-en-Josas, between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m. The ordeal: The victim was tied up, gagged, punched in the face, and suffered cuts to his arms and knees. The target: €6 million in digital assets. The reality of the wallets: Less than €3,000 in physical assets held. The outcome: The man managed to free himself after the attackers left. The investigation: Entrusted to the Versailles Anti-Gang Brigade (BRB) while the suspects are still at large. A recurring disconnect: The fantasy of wealth. This case highlights a major trend observed by law enforcement: criminal networks are increasingly targeting their victims based on local rumors, casual conversations, or ill-advised social media posts. This massive discrepancy between the imagined fortune (€6 million) and the reality (€3,000) does nothing to lessen the violence of the attackers, who relentlessly pursue access codes that are impossible to obtain. A surge in "crypto-kidnappings" in France: This type of crime is on the rise in France. According to official figures shared by the Ministry of the Interior, 77 cases of kidnapping or extortion related to cryptocurrencies were recorded in France in the first six months of 2026, compared to 45 for the entire year of 2025. Faced with this surge in violence, judicial authorities and the police are adapting their methods to counter these violent tactics, which sometimes rely on online data leaks.