Video footage caught four masked men attempting to kidnap the daughter and grandson of crypto exchange Paymium CEO Pierre Noizat in Paris during broad daylight.
According to a report by European media AFP, police sources have found video footage showing four armed men with their faces covered attacking a couple and their child in Paris. The footage showed the assailants jumping out of a van and trying to force the woman and the child into the vehicle.
Media outlet France24 reported that source saw the woman’s partner getting beaten by the armed men for trying to intervene. The woman was able to resist and reach for the attackers’ handgun and threw it away. As the attack happened in broad daylight in the middle of Paris’ 11th district, the screams of the victims eventually attracted the attention of passerbys.
To avoid being caught, the attackers ended up fleeing using a van that was found close by. All three victims suffered light injuries and were evacuated to a nearby hospital for treatment.
According to the report, the woman is the daughter of the CEO and co-founder of a French cryptocurrency exchange platform Paymium, Pierre Noizat. Meanwhile, the child is believe to be Noizat’s grandson.
Acoording to local media outlet Le Parisien, the attempted kidnapping is currently being investigated by the Brigade for the Suppression of Banditry, a special police unit of the French Ministry of the Interior.
A string of violent kidnappings linked to crypto figures
The recent kidnapping attempt is the latest incident a string of violent crimes targeting crypto industry leaders and crypto holders. Back in May, a group of attackers kidnapped the father of a crypto-millionaire to pay a big sum of money as a ransom. The police were able to track them down and arrested seven people in the raid.
Within the same month, three Florida teenagers reportedly attacked a man who was was returning home from hosting a crypto event in Downtown Las Vegas, before driving him more than 70 miles out to a remote desert area. The victim was forced to hand over his passwords to his crypto accounts which they stole $4 million worth of digital assets. The teenagers are currently being charged for kidnapping, robbery, and extortion.
In January 2025, there were claims circulating that criminals kidnapped Ledger co-founder and CEO Erich Larchevêque. However, the news was later debunked by local media.
