Bitcoin Fury: Alleged Kidnapping Drama in Manhattan's SoHo
Two men, John Woeltz and William Duplessie, are accused of kidnapping an Italian man for three weeks in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood to extract his bitcoin password. They allegedly used brutal methods, threatening the victim and his family. Both defendants were denied bail and face life in prison if convicted.
In a chilling case of alleged kidnapping, two men, John Woeltz and William Duplessie, are accused of holding an Italian man captive for three weeks in Manhattan's elite SoHo neighborhood. The men reportedly used electric wire shocks and intense intimidation tactics to force their victim into revealing his bitcoin password.
The defendants, who were detained after their arrests last month, face charges including kidnapping. Prosecutors claim Woeltz and Duplessie subjected the man to continuous beatings in a luxury townhouse unit and threatened his family. Their alleged aim was to acquire the man's cryptocurrency, reflecting a concerning new trend among criminals targeting wealthy investors in the digital currency market.
The victim, reported to have connections to a crypto hedge fund, managed to escape the ordeal after three grueling weeks. Judge Gregory Carro has ordered Woeltz and Duplessie to remain detained without bail until their upcoming court hearing on July 15. This incident is part of a growing number of cryptocurrency-related crimes globally, highlighting security issues in this burgeoning financial sector.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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