France is witnessing a wave of cryptocurrency assaults, with one incident involving an influencer’s father being doused with gasoline.

(SeaPRwire) –   Five individuals have been apprehended in connection with allegations of dousing an influencer’s father in gasoline and forcing him into a car trunk, demanding cryptocurrency for his release. The incident, the details of which emerged this week, took place at the close of 2024 near the Franco-Swiss border.

These arrests highlight a growing trend of physical assaults targeting cryptocurrency holders, commonly referred to as “wrench attacks,” within France. Data compiled by Bitcoin owner Jameson Lopp indicates that approximately two-thirds of the 24 physical Bitcoin-related attacks recorded this year have occurred in France.

The victim of the 2024 incident was the father of an influencer and cryptocurrency entrepreneur based in Dubai, according to reports from DL News and French publication France 3. Authorities have not disclosed whether the demanded Bitcoin payments were made by the influencer.

Investigators carried out arrests across France, geographically distant from the crime scene. Among those detained were a 16-year-old at the time of the offense and a 42-year-old, the eldest of the five suspects. Prosecutors intend to charge the alleged perpetrators with kidnapping, unlawful confinement, extortion, organized crime, and aggravated violence.

Another significant “wrench attack” in France occurred on January 25, when three men subjected a 74-year-old individual to 16 hours of torture in an attempt to extort $3.5 million in cryptocurrency from his son. The perpetrators reportedly abandoned their plan upon learning that the victim’s son was not, in fact, a cryptocurrency trader.

The number of physical coercion attacks against cryptocurrency holders has been on the rise annually. According to blockchain security auditor CertiK, there were 72 documented “wrench attacks” last year, representing a 75% increase from 2024. The irreversible nature of Bitcoin transactions, once initiated, makes holders vulnerable to such physical assaults, as access to their holdings is typically controlled by physical or digital keys.