A Belgian court has sentenced three people for their roles in a cryptocurrency-related kidnapping targeting the wife of local crypto entrepreneur Stéphane Winkel.
The Brussels Criminal Court handed down 12-year prison sentences to three kidnappers who attacked Winkel’s wife in December 2024, local news agency La Dernière Heure reported on Thursday.
The criminals were convicted of hostage-taking after abducting the victim outside her home, forcing her into a van and demanding a ransom in cryptocurrency.
Alerted by Winkel, law enforcement pursued the van and subsequently arrested the kidnappers and freed the victim after taking the vehicle off the road with a risky maneuver.
Kidnapping masterminds still at large
In addition to the prison sentences, the court ordered the three convicted kidnappers to pay at least 1 million euros ($1.2 million) in civil damages to the victim
While holding the trio accountable, the court acknowledged that the masterminds behind the kidnapping remain unidentified. It also rejected the defendants’ claims that they were coerced into the crime under threat of death.
According to the report, the case also involves a minor, who is being handled separately by a juvenile court.
The impact on Winkel’s crypto ventures
Winkel, a well-known local crypto investor and coach, runs educational platforms such as Crypto Académie and Crypto Sun. His YouTube channel has about 40,000 subscribers and offers free guidance to those interested in cryptocurrency.
Although Winkel and his wife received urgent assistance from law enforcement, the ordeal left them deeply traumatized and reportedly forced them to relocate.
“I consider myself a defender of freedom, but I now realize that safety must become an absolute priority for me and those around me,” Winkel wrote in an X post in January.
Related: Crypto billionaire bit off kidnapper’s finger during ambush: Report
The entrepreneur also pledged to continue producing content, but with a safer approach, stating:
“No more contests or wallet demonstrations, instead focusing on education, simplification and market analysis. I will share my experience to help others avoid such situations.”
Winkel returned to YouTube in late June, uploading his first video since the kidnapping. Unlike past videos, the new format features voiceover narration only, with no on-camera appearance.
Alarming growing trend
Winkel’s story is yet another example of an alarming rise in crypto-related kidnappings worldwide, highlighting the risks faced by crypto investors who maintain public profiles.
In mid-June, another crypto abduction took place in France, with perpetrators kidnapping a 23-year-old man and demanding his partner to pay 5,000 euros ($5,764) in cash, along with his private key to a Ledger hardware wallet.
In another high-profile case in May, three men attempted to kidnap the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, the co-founder and CEO of crypto exchange Paymium.
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