France is increasingly becoming a risky place for crypto investors, with 41 kidnappings in 2026, according to Telegram founder Pavel Durov. Â
Durov said that French tax officials and data leaks are to blame for the physical attacks against crypto investors.Â
He cautioned that the renewed push by most European governments to control the personal data of social media users would make the situation worse. The more data the governments control, he argued, the more kidnapping victims will rise in case of data breaches.Â
The Telegram founder was referencing Ghalia C., a former French tax official who was implicated for selling confidential financial data to criminal networks.Â
