This is a new case of sequestration linked to cryptocurrencies. David Balland, one of the co-founders of the French start-up Ledger – which notably offers a solution for storing and securing cryptocurrencies on a physical medium, was kidnapped on Tuesday January 21 from his home in Cher, we learned Liberation this Thursday, January 23. After being held captive for two days, the man was released on Wednesday. An investigation was opened by the organized crime division of the Paris public prosecutor's office.
It was early in the morning on Monday January 21 that the partner and co-founder of the Ledger company was kidnapped from his home. In a press release this Thursday, January 23, the Paris prosecutor's office explains that her kidnappers took her “in a car” to another address, to sequester him. Following this event, the gendarmerie was contacted “in its entirety”. If the investigations began under the direction of the Bourges public prosecutor's office, the work of the Bourges research section, the GIGN forces and the National Cyber Unit enabled the release of David Balland on Wednesday. The latter was “taken care of by emergency services”details the Paris prosecutor's office. He needs to be taken care of.
However, investigations are still underway to “identify and arrest all the perpetrators of this crime”. They relate to the offense “of kidnapping and sequestration by an organized gang to obtain the execution of a condition”. According to the Paris prosecutor's office, “the criminals indeed demanded payment of a large ransom in cryptocurrency.” He specifies that this crime carries a penalty of life imprisonment.
-A cryptocurrency influencer also targeted in early January
Several publications on social networks initially suggested that this kidnapping concerned another co-founder of Ledger: the media Eric Larchevêque – historical member of the show's jury Who wants to be my partner? on M6. The French unicorn Ledger, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024, has become essential in the prosperous world of virtual currencies: it secures 20% of the world's cryptocurrencies. According to our colleagues from Echos, it aims to reach a billion euros in turnover in 2025.
This kidnapping case linked to cryptocurrencies is not the first of its kind. At the beginning of January, a 56-year-old man was discovered by police officers, tied up and doused with gasoline in the trunk of a car near Le Mans (Sarthe), 600 kilometers from his home. His son, a cryptocurrency influencer living in Dubai, had also received a ransom demand. In this other case, a judicial investigation was opened on Tuesday January 14 by the Bourg-en-Bresse public prosecutor's office to “kidnapping, kidnapping by an organized gang”, “extortion by an organized gang”, “robbery by an organized gang with a weapon”, “aggravated violence” and “criminal conspiracy”, indicate our colleagues from BFM TV.
