41 Crypto Kidnappings in France in 3.5 Months; Durov Blames Data Leaks

Gate News message, April 24 — France has experienced 41 kidnappings of cryptocurrency holders in just 3.5 months of 2026, according to Pavel Durov, Telegram founder, who attributed the surge to widespread data leaks. Durov highlighted in an X post that sensitive personal data—including information held by tax authorities and from a major breach at France’s Agency for Secure Documents—has exposed approximately 19 million people’s names, addresses, and phone numbers, making digital asset holders easier targets.

French authorities confirmed that more than 40 crypto kidnappings or attempted abductions have been recorded since January 2026, marking a sharp increase from approximately 30 cases in 2025. According to Philippe Chadrys of France’s judicial police, the modus operandi and targeting methods vary, with many operations directed by networks operating from abroad. Incidents range from short-term abductions to violent cases involving torture and ransom demands. In one recent case, a woman and her 11-year-old son were kidnapped in Burgundy and later freed after a large-scale police operation. In another case in Anglet, suspects mistakenly abducted the wrong individuals before being arrested. In 2025, prominent crypto industry figure David Balland was kidnapped and had his finger cut off before being rescued.

French prosecutors have now charged 88 individuals in connection with crypto-related kidnappings, including minors across at least a dozen cases. Durov warned that expanding government access to digital identities and encrypted communications could worsen the situation if systems are compromised, though his claim that tax officials are directly selling data remains unverified.

The data exposure crisis extends beyond kidnappings. France’s data protection groups report millions of compromised records across multiple breaches affecting public services and private companies. According to Seb, President of the French Federation for Data Protection, France is set to become the second-most hacked country globally in 2026, with over 300 French services affected, 23 million accounts compromised, and over 250 million data records exposed. France Titres (ANTS) alone saw over 11.7 million accounts exposed, while the State Payment and Services Agency leaked banking details and social security numbers of millions of French citizens.

Crypto-related kidnappings typically follow a pattern: victims are identified as holding digital assets, abducted, and pressured to transfer funds under duress. Unlike traditional bank accounts, crypto wallets can be accessed instantly if private keys or passwords are revealed, making them attractive targets for extortion. Meanwhile, Bitcoin surged nearly 10% over the last 30 days, trading at $77,601 at press time, while Ethereum declined 5% over the week, trading at $2,315.