Two of the six men accused of attempting to kidnap the wife of Sébastien Borget, the co-founder of The Sandbox, were arrested after calling an Uber to flee the scene, according to local reports.
One of the attackers, disguised as a delivery driver, allegedly convinced Borget’s wife to open the gate at their home in the Île-de-France region in northern France. Then five masked accomplices rushed into the courtyard and tried to force her into a nearby car, Le Journal du Dimanche reported Thursday.
Neighbors intervened, forcing the attackers to flee. Four escaped in the vehicle, while two others fled on foot and ordered an Uber, which was then intercepted by the Meaux Anti-Crime Brigade, according to Le Journal du Dimanche. The two suspects were allegedly found with a replica handgun, cable ties and balaclavas.
Preliminary police investigations have linked the attack to crypto. It comes amid a rise in crypto wrench attacks since 2025, with Web3 security company CertiK flagging Europe as a hotspot in a report earlier this month, with most attacks occurring in France.
CertiK added that most of these attacks are carried out by “complete amateurs” recruited through messaging apps like Telegram or Snapchat, with orchestrators located outside the country.
Countries across Europe, particularly France, have recorded a large number of wrench attacks this year. Source: CertiK
Four suspects still on the run
Borget’s wife was reportedly uninjured, and the four other members of the group are still on the run.
Blockchain intelligence company TRM Labs reported in May last year that wrench attacks have been on the rise because of the perceived pseudonymity of crypto transactions, the public visibility of wealth, and the ease with which bad actors can gather personal data online.
Related: Law enforcement freezes $41M connected to $150M crypto Ponzi collapse
The firm also said it is becoming common for bad actors to target family members of crypto holders. Last May, four men tried to abduct the daughter and grandchild of French exchange executive Pierre Noizat in Paris. In the same month, French police rescued the kidnapped father of a crypto entrepreneur who was being held for ransom.
Casa chief security officer Jameson Lopp has recorded 38 crypto-wrench attacks so far this year, according to his list of incidents dating back to 2014.
Magazine: Bitcoin ETFs bleed $1B, Aave’s $71M ETH unfreeze bid delayed: Hodler’s Digest, May 10 – 16