French Couple Kidnapped in Bitcoin Extortion Attack as Crypto Violence Surges in France

TLDR

• A couple was kidnapped from their home in Rion-des-Landes, France, in an alleged Bitcoin extortion attack around 4 a.m. on Aug. 10-11.
• The man was found naked and injured 20km away; the woman was recovered in a vehicle in another department.
• Two men were arrested following a large police response involving road checkpoints.
• The case is being handled by the Bordeaux specialized jurisdiction and France’s National Anti-Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office.
• France recorded 77 crypto-linked violent cases in 2026, up from 45 in 2025.

A couple was taken from their home in Rion-des-Landes, a town in southwestern France, in the early hours of Aug. 11. Several attackers entered the property at around 4 a.m. and allegedly threatened the two residents while demanding access to their Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency holdings.

After the confrontation, the attackers removed both victims from the home and took them to separate locations.

The man was later found in Solférino, around 20 kilometers away. He was naked and had several cuts on his body when authorities located him. His condition and whether he needed hospital treatment were not disclosed.

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