French scammers steal $1 million in Bitcoin from married couple

Key points:

• In France, three criminals posing as police officers broke into a couple’s home and forced them to transfer a large amount of bitcoin.
• After receiving the funds, the attackers tied up and injured the homeowners before fleeing in a van.

A married couple in France became victims of a violent robbery after criminals broke into their home and forced them to transfer a large amount of bitcoin. In total, the attackers obtained more than €900,000 (about $1 million).

The incident took place in the morning in the commune of Le Chesnay-Rocquencourt in the Yvelines department, west of Paris. Three men reportedly posed as police officers to gain access to the couple’s home. According to media reports, they threatened the husband with a knife and forced him to transfer cryptocurrency to their wallet.

After the transfer was completed, the attackers tied up the man, injured both homeowners, and fled the scene in a white van.

Some time later, the woman managed to free her husband. At around 9 a.m., she alerted neighbors and reported the attack. The case was later handed over to the Versailles prosecutor’s office. Investigators are considering several charges, including armed robbery by an organized group, unlawful seizure of property, and criminal conspiracy.

Attacks on Crypto Owners Are Increasing in France

The incident is part of a troubling trend. In France, so-called “wrench attacks” are becoming increasingly common. These crimes involve criminals using threats or physical violence to force cryptocurrency owners to hand over access to their digital assets.

Judge kidnapped in France for cryptocurrency ransom

Experts warn of a growing wave of organized crypto-related extortion schemes.

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Since early 2025, France has seen a rise in kidnappings—sometimes highly publicized—aimed at extracting ransom payments or stealing cryptocurrency, coinciding with the growing popularity of digital assets. The wave began in January 2025 with the kidnapping of David Balland, co-founder of Ledger, a crypto wallet startup. The entrepreneur was later freed during an operation conducted by the French National Gendarmerie.

According to cybersecurity platform CertiK, the number of such attacks worldwide increased by 75% in 2025, reaching 72 confirmed incidents.