The charges related to 12 cases of kidnapping for crypto extortion, chief organised crime prosecutor Vanessa Perree said in a statement, without giving a time period.

French authorities have been dealing with a string of kidnappings and extortion attempts targeting the families of wealthy individuals dealing in cryptocurrencies.

Victims are kidnapped and held for hours or days, sometimes under threat of violence, with demands made for ransoms paid in cryptocurrency.

Two men kidnapped in separate incidents in January and May 2025…