In short
- William Duplessie surrendered to the NYPD on Tuesday, bringing to an in depth a months-long search by the NYPD.
- Duplessie faces costs of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree assault, illegal imprisonment, and weapons possession.
- He’s accused of abducting a 28-year-old Italian businessman for entry to his Bitcoin seed phrase.
A 3rd particular person was arrested in New York on Tuesday as a part of a weeks-long manhunt to apprehend these chargeable for the violent kidnapping plot of a Bitcoin investor.
William Duplessie, alongside John Woeltz, has been charged with allegedly abducting an unnamed 28-year-old Italian businessman, holding him captive in an upscale Manhattan residence for 2 weeks.
The pair allegedly tortured the businessman by electrical shocks, bodily beatings, and threats with a firearm, in an try and get hold of entry to the sufferer’s Bitcoin holdings.
“Duplessie is charged with assault second-degree, kidnapping first-degree, illegal imprisonment first-degree, and prison possession of a firearm,” an NYPD spokesperson advised Decrypt.
Beatrice Folchi, who police famous labored as Woeltz’s assistant, was additionally arrested on Friday and charged with first-degree kidnapping and illegal imprisonment, however was launched after the Manhattan District Lawyer declined to prosecute pending additional investigation.
Authorities haven’t stated whether or not Duplessie has authorized illustration or if the kidnapping is linked to a broader prison community.
The New York Bitcoin kidnapping case is a part of a rising development of crypto-related violent crimes, as criminals more and more goal digital asset holders for abduction, extortion, and assault.
On Tuesday, French police arrested 12 suspects in reference to two crypto-related kidnappings in Paris earlier this month, together with the daddy of a crypto entrepreneur.
In January, {hardware} pockets Ledger co-founder David Balland was kidnapped alongside together with his spouse. In response to sources on the time, the abductors minimize off one in all Balland’s fingers as proof of the kidnapping.
On Saturday, John Woeltz, 33, was arrested in New York after the alleged kidnapping sufferer escaped from a luxurious townhouse in Manhattan the place he was held captive for a number of weeks. On the time, prosecutors stated Woeltz claimed one other male had participated within the kidnapping.
After his arrest, Woeltz was charged with kidnapping, assault, illegal imprisonment, and weapons possession, and was ordered to be held with out bail.
If convicted on all costs in New York, Duplessie and Woeltz may face a minimal of 15 years to life in federal jail.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
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