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Rabat – Four masked attackers tried to kidnap the daughter and grandson of the CEO of a cryptocurrency company on Tuesday morning in central Paris. The attempted abduction took place on Rue Pache in the 11th arrondissement, shortly after 8 a.m, France 24 reported.
The report quoted police sources as saying that the woman and child were walking with her husband when a white van, falsely marked with the Chronopost logo, pulled up beside them. Three masked individuals jumped out and tried to force the woman and her son into the van.
The husband tried to fight off the attackers but was badly beaten with blunt objects. During the struggle, the woman managed to grab a pistol from one of the attackers and threw it away. It was later confirmed to be an airsoft gun.
The attackers fled when passersby heard the screams and came to help. One resident even threw a red fire extinguisher at the masked men. The suspects sped away in the van.
The van was found a few streets away on Rue Saint-Maur. The mother, father, and child all suffered minor injuries and were taken to the hospital for treatment.
The victims are related to the CEO and co-founder of Paymium, a French cryptocurrency exchange founded in 2011. The company is known as one of the first platforms for trading bitcoin in Europe.
The Paris police’s anti-gang unit is now leading the investigation. The Paris special prosecutor’s office has opened a case for attempted kidnapping, aggravated assault, and organized crime.
This is not the first time that someone connected to the cryptocurrency world has been targeted, France 24 added. On May 3, the father of a man who made a fortune in crypto was kidnapped in central Paris and rescued two days later. In January, the father of a Dubai-based crypto influencer was found locked in the trunk of a car near Le Mans. And a ransom had been demanded in that case.
