Spanish authorities have arrested the last fugitive involved in the January 2025 kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland in Málaga province. French authorities confirmed that all suspects in the case have been apprehended, bringing an end to the shocking €10 million ransom kidnapping case that rocked the crypto world.
(Background: Ledger founder kidnapped for 48 hours — David Balland and wife rescued! 10 suspects arrested, crypto ransom frozen)
(Additional context: Bitcoin users “are kidnapped every week,” experts warn that KYC leaks from centralized exchanges are a main cause)
After more than a year of international pursuit, this chilling kidnapping case has finally been resolved. In late March, Guardia Civil in Spain arrested a 24-year-old man in Benalmádena, Málaga province. He was the only suspect who had previously escaped in the case that shocked Europe in January 2025.
The arrest was carried out under a European arrest warrant issued by France. Spanish authorities had tracked the suspect’s whereabouts, initially locating him in Valencia with his partner and friends, and ultimately making the arrest in Benalmádena. The suspect is currently awaiting extradition proceedings at Fuengirola Court.
According to French media reports, French authorities issued a statement clearly saying: “All members have been identified and arrested.”
Recap: 48-hour terror kidnapping, elite forces rescue victim
The incident occurred on January 21, 2025. David Balland was kidnapped from his home in central France and held for about 48 hours; his wife was found tied up inside a car in southern Paris. The kidnappers were brutal — during the ordeal, they cut off one of Balland’s fingers and sent dismemberment videos to his business partners to pressure him, demanding a ransom of €10 million (about $11.5 million).
Ultimately, French elite police unit GIGN successfully raided and rescued him, arresting 10 suspects on the spot. However, one suspect later escaped during the operation, crossing into Spain, becoming the final piece of the puzzle until his recent arrest.
Crypto community’s “personal safety” issues resurface
This case is not an isolated incident. In recent years, physical kidnappings targeting crypto holders and industry figures have increased significantly. Experts point to KYC data leaks from centralized exchanges as a major factor — once identities and asset sizes are exposed, high-net-worth holders become prime targets for criminal groups.
The breakthrough in the Balland case exemplifies successful cross-border cooperation between French and Spanish law enforcement, and serves as a reminder to crypto users: the security of on-chain assets is never just about cold wallets or seed phrases.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Solana ecosystem app Believe founder indicted in New York over an alleged rug pull scam
Gate News update, April 14, Solana ecosystem application Believe founder Pasternak was indicted in a New York court for allegedly participating in a crypto rug pull scam. The case involves the Solana public chain ecosystem and is suspected to be related to losses of several million dollars. Pasternak, as the person in charge of the Believe project, is accused of using the project to carry out fraudulent acts, causing significant financial losses to investors. The case is currently under review, and relevant details have not yet been fully disclosed.
GateNews45m ago
Encourage innovation! A U.S. judge bars Arizona’s regulation of prediction markets, and pauses the prosecution of Kalshi
A U.S. federal district court ruled to block Arizona from suing the prediction market platform Kalshi under its gambling laws, finding that the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission has exclusive jurisdiction. The ruling affects the boundary between state and federal authority in regulating financial markets. Kalshi has insisted that its business is a financial product rather than traditional gambling. Rulings by different states on prediction markets have varied, and the Trump family has also expressed support for prediction markets.
CryptoCity1h ago
The U.S. Department of Justice launches the OneCoin victim compensation program, with more than $40 million in assets available for claims
The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a restitution process for victims of the OneCoin crypto Ponzi scheme. Victims who were harmed between 2014 and 2019 may apply for restitution, and more than $40 million is currently available. The scheme was launched in 2014 and resulted in more than $4 billion in losses for 3.5 million victims worldwide.
GateNews2h ago
RAVE’s hype surge triggers a flood of copycat coin mania, as FF and INX expose the “pump-and-dump” scheme
Recently, altcoins represented by RAVE have sparked a fierce investment craze, but some old star projects like FF and INX have used this wave of hype to carry out “pump-and-dump” operations—rapidly driving up coin prices to lure retail investors to buy, and then dumping them heavily, causing the price to plunge rapidly. Such behavior not only exposes the project team’s funding difficulties, but also damages investors’ trust. Investors need to stay alert to signals like abnormal short-term surges in order to avoid the risk of being manipulated by the market.
MarketWhisper2h ago
Encourage innovation! U.S. judges ban Arizona’s regulation of prediction markets and halt the prosecution of Kalshi
A U.S. federal district court ruled that Arizona is barred from using gambling laws to prosecute the prediction market platform Kalshi, finding that the Commodity Futures Trading Commission has exclusive jurisdiction. The ruling affects the boundary between state and federal authority in regulating financial markets, while Kalshi insists its business falls under financial products rather than traditional gambling. Rulings on prediction markets vary from state to state, and the Trump family has also expressed support for prediction markets.
CryptoCity4h ago
People’s Daily criticizes chaos in financial media outlets, calling out virtual currency referral activities by name
Gate News updates. On April 14, People’s Daily published an article titled “Disrupting the capital markets: these irregularities by finance-and-economics self-media accounts need to be on high alert,” which singled out and criticized certain accounts that drive users to virtual-coin trading by publishing false yield information such as “one hundredfold coins” and “making millions every month trading coins.” The article cites a notice previously issued by eight departments, including the People’s Bank of China, emphasizing that business activities related to virtual currencies constitute illegal financial activities. The article states that accounts and platforms suspected of providing referral traffic and technical services for illegal virtual currency trading may violate laws and regulations and could threaten financial security and anti–money laundering efforts.
GateNews4h ago
