France Charges 88, Including Minors, in Crypto ‘Wrench Attack’ Crackdown

In brief

• France has charged 88 suspects, more than 10 of them minors, across 12 active judicial investigations into violent crypto kidnappings.
• Six suspects were arrested this month in two separate operations linked to kidnappings in Challes-les-Eaux and Dompierre-sur-Mer; all six are in pre-trial detention.
• Investigators identified structured criminal networks by tracing repeat offenders across 135 incidents recorded since 2023.

France has charged 88 suspects, more than 10 of them minors, across 12 active judicial investigations into a wave of violent crypto “wrench attacks,” in a sweeping crackdown on organized gangs targeting crypto holders.

The National Organized Crime Prosecutor’s Office, or PNACO, said Friday in a press release that 75 of those charged have been placed in pre-trial detention across 12 judicial investigations handled by specialized magistrates at the Paris Judicial Court.

The charges cover kidnapping, unlawful confinement, extortion, and money laundering, all committed by organized gangs, according to Vanessa Perrée, National Prosecutor for Organized Crime at the French Ministry of Justice.

The charges reflect the full scale of a crisis that has made France the global epicenter of wrench attacks, violent physical crimes in which criminals coerce crypto holders into surrendering their digital assets.

French law enforcement has recorded 135 crypto-related incidents since 2023, including 18 in 2024, 67 in 2025, and 47 already in 2026, which officials described as the result of “structured criminal networks.”

Last week, three men aged 25–30 were detained over a November 2025 kidnapping in Challes-les-Eaux, followed days later by three more arrests, two already charged in that case, linked to a separate December kidnapping in Dompierre-sur-Mer.

All six have been placed in pre-trial detention.

Crypto "wrench attacks"

Globally, wrench attacks hit a record 72 incidents in 2025, up 75% year-over-year, with over $40.9 million in losses, as Europe accounted for more than 40% of cases, led by France, which recorded 19 attacks, surpassing the U.S. with eight, according to CertiK.

Jonathan Riss, Blockchain Intelligence Analyst at CertiK, told Decrypt that the masterminds behind these attacks are frequently insulated from arrest.

"The masterminds are often based abroad, outside the EU and out of immediate reach of authorities, operating through local middlemen and young executors," he said.