France Prosecutes 88 Suspects in Crypto-Related Violent Robberies, Including 10 Minors

BroadChain News, April 27 - France has made progress in combating violent crimes targeting cryptocurrencies. Vanessa Perrée, the national prosecutor for organized crime in the country, disclosed that law enforcement has filed charges against at least 88 individuals, including 10 minors, in connection with 12 cases of "wrench attacks" against cryptocurrency holders. Currently, 75 defendants are in pretrial detention.

Such crimes typically involve violent methods such as home invasions or kidnappings to force victims to hand over their digital wallet assets. Perrée noted that some suspects are linked to multiple cases, and investigations reveal the existence of organized crime networks behind them. Official French records show 18 similar cases in 2024, increasing to 67 in 2025, and reaching 47 so far in 2026.