According to Market Forces Africa on April 27, there has been a sharp increase in kidnappings and violent attacks targeting cryptocurrency investors in France. Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov (Pavel Durov) said on the X platform that since the beginning of 2026, 41 cryptocurrency-investor kidnapping cases have been recorded, averaging one every 2.5 days, and that they are linked to a leak of French tax data.
Case Scale: OCLCO Data and Records of Recent Incidents
According to an official report from OCLCO, since 2023, France has seen about 135 kidnappings related to cryptocurrencies; in 2026 alone, more than 40 have been recorded. OCLCO categorizes the related crimes as a “clearly defined criminal network” involving habitual offenders and million-euro extortion. CoinMarketCap community reports indicate that since January 2026 alone, about 41 cryptocurrency investors have been kidnapped, averaging one incident every 60 hours, consistent with the surge trend described by French prosecutors.
According to a report by Market Forces Africa, victims include the relatives of influencers, as well as the founders and senior executives of cryptocurrency companies. Case patterns include imprisonment, violence, and being forced to transfer digital assets. In cases that have been publicly reported, a couple was forced to transfer €8 million.
Durov’s Public Allegations: A Former Tax Employee and Data Sales
According to Durov’s public post on the X platform, he accuses a former French tax employee of selling sensitive records containing information about holders of large cryptocurrency assets to an organized criminal group, and says, “The more data there is, the more victims there are.” Durov also said in the post that if he were asked to weaken cryptocurrency technology, he would rather withdraw Telegram from France.
The above allegations are Durov’s personal statements. As of the time this report was published, French authorities have not issued an official statement on the results of the tax data leak investigation.
French Authorities’ Law Enforcement Response and Policy Announcements
According to an OCLCO announcement, currently 12 cases are under review, and among 88 defendants, most are in pretrial detention. At the Paris Blockchain Week, a ministerial representative, Jean-Didier Berger, publicly confirmed that incidents of violent extortion have increased and announced that preventive measures targeting cryptocurrency users will be rolled out soon.
According to Market Forces Africa, blockchain investigator ZachXBT and related exchange security teams have assisted in recovering ransoms in at least one case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What specific figures has the French OCLCO released regarding cryptocurrency-related kidnapping cases?
According to OCLCO’s official report, since 2023, France has recorded about 135 kidnappings related to cryptocurrencies, with more than 40 recorded in 2026. At present, 12 cases are under review, involving 88 defendants; most suspects have been held in pretrial detention.
What specific allegations has Durov made regarding France’s crypto kidnapping cases, and have they been officially confirmed?
According to Durov’s public post on the X platform, he alleges that the surge in cases is related to a former French tax employee selling sensitive records containing information about large cryptocurrency holders, stating that since the beginning of 2026, cases have occurred on average every 2.5 days. The allegations above are Durov’s personal statements; as of the time this report was published, French authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the related tax data leak investigation.
What official responses has the French government provided regarding the safety concerns of cryptocurrency investors?
According to a Market Forces Africa report, at Paris Blockchain Week, a ministerial representative Jean-Didier Berger publicly confirmed an increase in violent attack incidents and announced that preventive measures are forthcoming; OCLCO also simultaneously confirmed that lawsuits have been filed in multiple cases involving 88 defendants, and investigators such as ZachXBT have also helped recover ransoms in at least one case.
