Attempted Kidnappers of Sandbox Executive's Wife Caught Trying to Flee via Uber

Violent crime in the crypto industry is rapidly spreading beyond digital spaces into physical threats in the real world. On May 22, 2026, a broad-daylight attempted kidnapping targeting the wife of Sébastien Borget, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the metaverse platform The Sandbox, occurred in France, sending shockwaves through the industry.

It was revealed that the suspects involved in the crime attempted to use Uber, a ride-hailing service, to flee the scene. Their choice of a ride-sharing service, which is easily traceable and leaves a complete record of movement, as an escape vehicle ultimately became the decisive factor in their capture by investigative authorities.

The criminals' choice of Uber as an escape vehicle highlights a bizarre aspect of modern crime. Their attempt to use a platform where real-time GPS tracking is possible and driver identities are clearly recorded ultimately failed, suggesting that those behind the crime relied on impulsive execution rather than meticulous planning.

2025 is a clear inflection point where physical violence emerged as a key threat vector in the crypto ecosystem. France is becoming a major hub for such crimes.

Fortunately, the wife of the Sandbox COO, who was the target of this incident, escaped harm, but this broad-daylight attempt sent a clear warning signal to crypto-related figures in France. Investigative authorities believe this attack was not a simple accidental crime but an extension of an organized crime pattern targeting wealthy crypto individuals.

Anatomy of a 'Wrench Attack': The Structure of Organized Crime

The so-called 'Wrench Attack' refers to a crime where physical violence or threats are used to forcibly seize a victim's virtual asset wallet password or private key. According to a recent report by security firm CertiK, teams carrying out these attacks are analyzed to have a typical structure.

• Field execution teams usually consist of 3 to 5 amateurs
• The mastermind planning and directing the crime mainly resides overseas
• Targets are selected by combining public blockchain records and leaked data
• Immediate access to digital assets is demanded through physical coercion

France has emerged as a 'hotspot' for crimes targeting families related to virtual assets in recent years. A series of incidents from 2024 to 2025 show that virtual asset entrepreneurs can no longer rely solely on digital security, proving that personal protection in the real world has become an essential element.

According to statistics, the number of confirmed physical attack cases related to virtual assets in 2025 reached 72, a 75% surge from the previous year. Official losses incurred during this process alone exceeded $41 million, and the actual scale of damage is estimated to be much higher if cases not reported due to fear of retaliation are included.

Fundamental Changes in Executive Security Protocols

The spread of these threats is fundamentally changing the security strategies of executives in the virtual asset industry. In the past, focus was placed on technical defenses such as multi-signature (Multi-sig) or hardware wallet storage, but now, managing family movements, strengthening residential security, and introducing professional security services have emerged as top priorities.

Industry experts warn that criminals are actively utilizing on-chain data analysis to determine the size of a victim's assets. If high-value transaction records or large wallet addresses are exposed, it is being taken as a signal that they could soon become targets of physical crime.

Legal Outlook and Future Challenges

French judicial authorities are focusing their investigation on the connections between the arrested suspects and the forces behind them. In particular, they are tracing the whereabouts of the masterminds, who are presumed to be based overseas, using Uber reservation records and communication data that the suspects intended to use. As the metaverse and blockchain industries expand, physical security for corporate executives is expected to become a core part of corporate risk management.