French minister to meet crypto firms after kidnapping attempt

The French interior minister reportedly plans to meet cryptocurrency professionals in the aftermath of a violent kidnapping attempt on the family of a crypto exchange executive in Paris.According to a May 14 France24 report, French interior minister Bruno Retailleau has invited crypto professionals to meet him after a brazen attempt to kidnap the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, the co-founder and CEO of French crypto exchange Paymium.I will assemble businesspeople working in cryptocurrencies, and we have a few of those in France, at the interior ministry to work with them on their security, Retailleau reportedly told the Europe 1/CNews broadcaster.On Tuesday, May 13, three masked men attacked Noizats daughter while she was walking in Paris 11th district with a man and her son. The attackers tried to force Noizats daughter and her son into a white van.Related: Teens kidnap Las Vegas man at gunpoint, stealing $4M in cryptoPassersby intervened, with one scaring the assailants while brandishing a fire extinguisher before throwing it at them as they fled. The event is now being investigated by local authorities, with the vehicle used being found abandoned nearby on the same day.En plein Paris, un homme a t violent par des individus cagouls, habills tout en noir. Ils tentaient de l'enlever. Un homme a surgi, extincteur la main, pour les faire fuir. https://t.co/P0qV6PR40v pic.twitter.com/9f4r2Gi7ho Le Figaro (@Le_Figaro) May 13, 2025src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8">Growing risk for cryptoholdersJameson Lopp, a cypherpunk and co-founder of self-custodial firm Casa, has created aliston GitHub recording dozens of offline crypto robberies, with 22 incidents of in-person crypto-related theft so far this year. Many in the crypto industry highlight that anonymity is the only way to effectively protect holders and their close circle against so-called $5 wrench attacks.$5 wrench attack explanation. Source: XKCDLopps list is likely undercounting the total number of attacks targeting people over their involvement in the crypto industry. A University of Cambridge study in September2024 foundthat these so-called wrench attacks are often underreported due to revictimization fears.Related: How a $243 million crypto heist led to a real-world kidnappingFrance saw its fair share of casesParis is also no stranger to these attacks. Earlier this month, Paris policefreed the fatherof a crypto entrepreneur who was held for several days in connection with a 7 million euro ($7.8 million) kidnapping plot.At the start of this year, David Balland, co-founder of leading crypto hardware wallet manufacturer Ledger, wasabducted from his home in central France. He was held captive until a police operation on the night of Jan. 22 secured his release.Magazine: Heres how to keep your crypto safe