Suspected French crypto kidnappings leader arrested in Morocco

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A man accused of being one of the masterminds behind a string of recent kidnappings in France to gain access to crypto has been arrested in Morocco.

At the request of French authorities, Morocco’s national police and intelligence service arrested Badiss Mohamed Amide Bajjou — a 24-year-old French-Moroccan man who was reportedly found in possession of multiple bladed weapons and several mobile phones.

France’s Minister of Justice, Gérald Darmanin, praised the arrest in a June 4 X post after French news outlet Le Parisien reported the arrest.

“I sincerely thank Morocco for this arrest, which demonstrates the excellent judicial cooperation between our two countries, particularly against organized crime,” Darmanin said.

Interpol issued a red notice for Bajjou’s arrest in 2023, alleging he was tied to other kidnappings and criminal activities.

France, Police, Crimes, Morocco
A mugshot of Bajjou from 2023. Source: Interpol

Two crypto kidnappings and a failed attempt

The latest incident occurred in broad daylight on May 13, when multiple assailants allegedly attempted to kidnap the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, CEO of French crypto platform Paymium.

A video of the alleged attack filmed by passersby shows Noizat’s daughter fending off masked men with the help of bystanders, forcing them back into a nearby waiting van, where they fled the scene.

On May 3, Paris police freed the father of a crypto entrepreneur who was held for several days in connection with a 7 million euro ($7.8 million) kidnapping plot.

Related: Insurance companies race to cover crypto kidnap and ransom risks

A few months earlier, in January, the co-founder of crypto wallet provider Ledger, David Balland, was abducted from his home in central France during the early hours of Jan. 21 and was held captive until a police operation on the night of Jan. 22 secured his release.

French law enforcement is reportedly boosting security for crypto executives and their families to fight against the wave of crypto-related kidnappings.

The measures include priority access to police emergency lines, home security assessments and safety briefings from French law enforcement to ensure best practices are being followed.

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