PANews reports on May 17th that according to Politico, due to the increasing number of kidnapping incidents related to cryptocurrencies in France, cryptocurrency entrepreneurs and their families will receive enhanced security measures. The French Ministry of Interior stated that these measures include priority access to police emergency hotlines, home visits, and security briefings from law enforcement agencies to provide best practice advice. Law enforcement personnel will also receive "anti-crypto asset money laundering training". Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said in a statement: "In response to repeated kidnapping incidents targeting cryptocurrency industry professionals, we will take immediate and short-term concrete measures to prevent, deter, and obstruct, in order to protect the industry."
Since the beginning of this year, France has experienced at least three kidnapping incidents targeting cryptocurrency industry leaders or their families. Previous reports indicated that France would convene a cryptocurrency industry security conference to address the consecutive kidnapping events. This decision follows a failed kidnapping incident on May 13th in Paris, where a French crypto entrepreneur's daughter and grandson were attacked by 4 masked assailants on the street, fortunately escaping with minor injuries. It is understood that the woman is the daughter of the co-founder and CEO of the French crypto trading platform Paymium. In recent years, France has seen multiple kidnapping cases related to crypto wealth, including the kidnapping and torture of Ledger co-founder David Balland in January this year.
