In a significant legal operation, France has charged 88 individuals, including over 10 minors, as part of 12 ongoing judicial probes into the surge of violent ‘wrench attacks’ on cryptocurrency holders. According to a statement by the National Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office (PNACO) released Friday, 75 suspects are currently in pre-trial detention under investigations conducted by specialized magistrates at the Paris Judicial Court.
Vanessa Perrée, France’s National Prosecutor for Organized Crime, stated that the charges include kidnapping, unlawful confinement, extortion, and money laundering, all linked to organized crime. This crackdown underscores France’s position as the global epicenter of wrench attacks—violent crimes where victims are forced to relinquish their digital assets.
Since 2023, French authorities have documented 135 crypto-related incidents, with figures for each year showing a steady increase: 18 in 2024, 67 in 2025, and 47 already in 2026. These incidents reflect the activity of ‘structured criminal networks.’
Recent detentions include three men aged 25–30 linked to a November 2025 kidnapping in Challes-les-Eaux and another three associated with a December kidnapping in Dompierre-sur-Mer, all now held in pre-trial detention.
Globally, wrench attacks peaked at 72 incidents in 2025, marking a 75% increase from the previous year. Europe accounted for over 40% of these cases, led by France’s record of 19 attacks, surpassing the U.S.’s eight, according to CertiK data.
Jonathan Riss, Blockchain Intelligence Analyst at CertiK, noted that those orchestrating these crimes often remain abroad and out of reach. He highlighted that ‘France ranks among the top three countries globally for personal data breaches,’ referencing a leak from ANTS, which exposed 12 million citizens’ data. This breach is exacerbated by instances where civil servants resell information.
Riss further pointed out underreporting in some regions, with many incidents being classified as standard robberies without a crypto link. He emphasized the disparity in how wrench attacks are treated across jurisdictions, often due to lacking legal frameworks or training.
Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, referenced a case involving a French tax official allegedly selling cryptocurrency owners’ data to criminals. In a recent post, he warned against state demands for user identification and private messages, arguing that more data leads to more leaks and victims.
The crackdown follows several high-profile attacks targeting France’s crypto community, including the kidnapping of Ledger co-founder David Balland, an attempted home invasion on Binance France’s CEO, and a magistrate abduction. Last week, a mother and her 11-year-old son were kidnapped in Burgundy as part of a ransom plot involving cryptocurrency, only to be rescued by elite GIGN officers after being held overnight.
In another incident last month, attackers posing as police forced a couple in Versailles to transfer approximately $1 million (€900,000) in Bitcoin at knifepoint. Perrée has urged crypto holders to minimize social media exposure and remain vigilant against impersonation attempts, following a spike in phishing activities targeting cryptocurrency users, flagged by PNACO.