French Prosecutors Crack Down on 'Wrench Attacks' for Crypto Extortion: 88 Charged Across 12 Investigations

French investigative authorities have taken large-scale legal action in response to a surge in "wrench attacks," violent physical assaults targeting cryptocurrency. As of April 27, 2026, French prosecutors announced the indictment of 88 suspects in connection with a series of kidnappings and extortion cases. This move is seen as a response to the brutal shift in crypto crime, moving beyond digital hacking to direct physical threats.

These crimes demonstrate that as crypto security technology advances, criminals are shifting from trying to break through technical barriers to directly attacking the owners themselves.

Vanessa Perrée, a senior prosecutor specializing in organized crime, stated that these indictments are the result of investigations into 12 specific cases of violent extortion. Authorities explained that criminal organizations targeted crypto holders, using kidnapping and torture to force them to reveal private keys or wallet passwords. Notably, some defendants were involved in multiple cases, suggesting the establishment of an organized criminal system.

The Reality of Physical Violence Neutralizing Digital Security

A "wrench attack" refers to a low-tech, high-efficiency crime where criminals use inexpensive tools like wrenches or physical violence to subdue victims instead of hacking encrypted security systems. Due to the anonymity and irreversible nature of cryptocurrency transactions, criminals demand immediate asset transfers by holding the victim's physical safety hostage. This has emerged as a fatal threat that renders even hardware wallets or multi-signature security useless.

• In Dompierre-sur-Mer, western France, a couple was kidnapped and forced to transfer approximately 8 million euros worth of cryptocurrency.
• Cases were reported where criminals impersonated police officers to conduct fake searches, threatening victims and seizing $1 million worth of Bitcoin.
• Victims were primarily crypto investors who flaunted their wealth on social media or in public spaces, becoming targets of precise surveillance by criminals.

2026 is being recorded as a year with an unprecedented surge in crypto-related violent crime in France. According to statistics, crypto-related kidnappings, which numbered only 18 in all of 2024, reached 47 between January and April 2026 alone. This equates to one incident every 2.5 days on average, already exceeding the total number of cases from 2023 to 2025.

Among the 88 suspects charged, more than 10 are minors, raising concerns that criminal organizations are recruiting younger individuals. Currently, 75 of those charged are in pre-trial detention, and authorities are conducting in-depth investigations into their potential organizational links. The French Ministry of the Interior has defined the situation as a national security crisis and is strengthening preventive measures.

National Response and a Test for European Crypto Security

The French government is using this situation as an opportunity to reorganize security guidelines for crypto holders and strengthen the capabilities of dedicated police units. The Ministry of the Interior particularly urged high-net-worth individuals to protect their personal information and exercise caution on social media to prevent physical extortion. France's large-scale indictments are expected to serve as a strong warning against the surge of physical crypto crimes across Europe.

Experts analyze that France is currently a major target for physical crypto extortion in Europe. This is due to the high adoption rate of cryptocurrency in France and criminal organizations viewing crypto as a new source of revenue. The results of this investigation are expected to serve as important foundational data for establishing a joint response system at the European Union (EU) level.

Ultimately, crypto safety has reached a stage where a combination of physical security and digital security is essential. French authorities have announced severe punishments for the 88 individuals charged and plan to apply a zero-tolerance policy toward violent crimes targeting cryptocurrency. This case is serving as a catalyst for the global crypto community to rethink the definition of security.