International Crackdown on Bitcoin Extortion Nets Multiple Arrests

Law enforcement agencies in three countries—United States, South Korea, and France—executed arrests targeting suspects involved in Bitcoin-related extortion schemes. In New York City, on May 27, 32-year-old entrepreneur William Duplessis was detained on charges including kidnapping and assault. The alleged victim, a 28-year-old Italian tourist, was held captive for nearly three weeks and was coerced into revealing access to digital assets. On the same day in Busan, South Korea, police apprehended a 20-year-old Russian national suspected of attacking two local residents under the guise of a cryptocurrency transaction. The assailants, armed with a fake pistol, attempted to rob the victims but failed to escape with any money. In Paris, France, over ten suspects were arrested during an operation on May 26, linked to two cases of violence against digital asset holders. One victim, a 60-year-old man, was reportedly kidnapped with demands for a ransom ranging from 5 to 7 million euros. Authorities are exploring the potential existence of an organized crime syndicate operating through social networks to recruit perpetrators for these extortion schemes.