TLDR
- A couple was kidnapped from their home in Rion-des-Landes, France, in an alleged Bitcoin extortion attack around 4 a.m. on Aug. 10-11.
- The man was found naked and injured 20km away; the woman was recovered in a vehicle in another department.
- Two men were arrested following a large police response involving road checkpoints.
- The case is being handled by the Bordeaux specialized jurisdiction and France’s National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office.
- France recorded 77 crypto-linked violent cases in 2026, up from 45 in 2025.
A couple was taken from their home in Rion-des-Landes, a town in southwestern France, in the early hours of Aug. 11. Several attackers entered the property at around 4 a.m. and allegedly threatened the two residents while demanding access to their Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency holdings.
After the confrontation, the attackers removed both victims from the home and took them to separate locations.
The man was later found in Solférino, around 20 kilometers away. He was naked and had several cuts on his body when authorities located him. His condition and whether he needed hospital treatment were not disclosed.
The woman was found inside a vehicle in a different French department. Authorities did not release her location, her condition, or how investigators found her.
The names, professions, and crypto holdings of the couple have not been released. It is also unknown whether either victim worked in the crypto sector or had publicly discussed owning digital assets.
Police Response and Arrests
French gendarmes deployed quickly after the abduction and stopped vehicles on the road connecting Rion-des-Landes and Lesperon. The operation involved a large number of officers.
Investigators returned to the couple’s home the following day to collect fingerprints and examine the property.
Two men were arrested shortly after the incident. Their identities, ages, and suspected roles have not been made public. It is unclear whether they remain in custody.
France’s National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the Bordeaux specialized jurisdiction is handling the case. No charges have been publicly announced.
Authorities have not confirmed whether any cryptocurrency was transferred, or whether wallet credentials were obtained.
France’s Rising Crypto Crime Problem
France recorded 77 crypto-linked violent cases in 2026, according to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. That is up from 45 cases in 2025. Around 200 people have been arrested in connection with these attacks.
A Chainalysis report found 30 publicly known violent crypto incidents in France through the first half of 2026 alone, compared to 19 for all of 2025.
Globally, criminals stole more than $30 million through physical attacks in the first half of 2026. Chainalysis counted a 26% success rate for attacks, down from 49% in 2025.
Home invasions made up 37% of documented attacks through mid-2026, up from 14% in 2025. In France, over 40% of cases targeted a relative or associate of the crypto holder rather than the holder directly.
Chainalysis linked the targeting pattern to leaked tax records and social media data, including a 2024 alleged theft of French tax files and a January breach at crypto tax platform Waltio affecting around 50,000 users.
