Criminals Disguised as Police Rob French Couple of $1M in Bitcoin
In France, a couple in their late 50s was victimized by fraudulent police officers who compelled them to transfer approximately $1 million worth of Bitcoin during a violent home invasion, amid increasing reports of wrench attacks.
In a disturbing incident representing the most recent violent assault on cryptocurrency owners in France, a couple in their late 50s residing in a western Paris suburb was compelled to surrender approximately 900,000 euros ($1 million) in Bitcoin during what appeared to be a police operation at their residence, as reported by TF1 Info and Agence France-Presse (AFP).
On Monday morning, three individuals dressed as law enforcement officers gained entry to the couple's residence in Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt, located in the Yvelines department, and coerced the husband into transferring the Bitcoin (BTC) while brandishing a knife to intimidate both victims, as detailed by TF1 Info and AFP. Following the forced transfer, the perpetrators restrained the male victim, inflicted injuries on both individuals, and made their escape using a white van, the reports indicated.
After managing to release her husband from his restraints, the woman contacted nearby residents at approximately 9:00 am local time, the reports confirmed. Authorities from the Versailles prosecutor's office stated that investigators from the Brigade for the Repression of Banditry are handling the case, examining charges that include sequestration, armed robbery by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy. By Tuesday, no suspects had been taken into custody.
Wrench attacks see alarming rise as France suffers most incidents
This incident contributes to the growing trend of what are known as wrench attacks, where perpetrators employ violence or intimidation tactics to compel cryptocurrency owners to relinquish their digital holdings. According to cybersecurity platform CertiK, wrench attacks surged by 75% in 2025 to reach 72 verified cases globally.
Among all nations, France experienced the highest concentration of these incidents in 2025, recording 19 confirmed wrench attacks, even though Europe as a whole represented only about 40% of global incidents in 2025.
The country has already witnessed multiple prominent cryptocurrency-related kidnapping and home invasion cases during the current year. In early February, law enforcement in France apprehended six individuals in connection with the abduction of a magistrate and her mother in a crypto-related ransom scheme that targeted the magistrate's partner, who operates in the cryptocurrency business sector.
Just days following that particular incident, French law enforcement officials took three suspects into custody after a forced entry targeting the residence of a senior executive employed at Binance France.