Crypto Crime Wave: A Dark Side of Digital Money

In 2025, as Bitcoin's value soared, so did the number of violent crimes linked to cryptocurrency. These attacks, known as "wrench attacks, " involve physical violence to force victims to hand over their digital money. At least 65 such cases have been recorded in a public database, but experts believe many more go unreported. One of the most shocking cases happened in France. David Balland, a co-founder of Ledger, was kidnapped from his home. He and his wife were held captive for about a day before the police rescued them. The attackers cut off one of Balland's fingers and sent it to his associates to demand ransom. French authorities later arrested a French-Moroccan man suspected of leading the kidnapping. In Canada, a family faced a horrific ordeal. Two men pretended to be postal workers to gain entry into the family's home. Once inside, they brought in two more attackers. The family was tortured, including waterboarding and threats of mutilation. The attackers also sexually assaulted the family's daughter and forced her to make explicit videos. They stole about $1. 6 million in cryptocurrency before fleeing. One of the attackers was later sentenced to seven years in prison. In London, a man from the U. S. was tricked into a fake Uber. Jacob Irwin-Cline from Portland, Oregon, was lured into the wrong car outside a nightclub. The attackers gave him a cigarette laced with scopolamine, a drug that causes blackouts. Under the influence, Irwin-Cline gave the attackers access to his crypto accounts, losing around $122, 000 in digital money. He was then abandoned in an unfamiliar part of the city.In New York, two men were accused of luring an Italian businessman into a residence. Once inside, the men allegedly bound, beat, and drugged the victim to get his crypto account passwords. They used medieval-style torture methods, including electric shocks, and threatened to harm the victim's relatives. However, the defense presented video footage suggesting the victim was enjoying himself voluntarily. The two men were arrested but pleaded not guilty and were released on bail. One of the most gruesome attacks occurred in Vienna. A 21-year-old student was beaten and set on fire in November. Danylo K. , the son of a Ukrainian deputy mayor, was ambushed in a hotel garage and forced to drive to another location. The attackers beat him so badly that his teeth fell out. They then doused him in gasoline and set him on fire. Withdrawals from his crypto wallets were later detected. The assailants were arrested in Ukraine after fleeing the country. These cases highlight the dark side of the growing popularity of cryptocurrency. As digital money becomes more mainstream, so do the crimes associated with it. The increasing number of wrench attacks serves as a stark reminder of the risks involved in the crypto world.