Five men have been convicted in London after two French cryptocurrency investors were held captive for more than 52 hours, tortured, and forced to transfer $30,000 in digital assets. The trial at Inner London Crown Court ended with convictions for conspiracy to blackmail and false imprisonment, while the alleged mastermind remains at large.
Prosecutors told the court that the victims, both in their 20s, were abducted after arriving from France and staying in Kensington. They were ambushed by masked men armed with a gun and a knife in Shadwell, forced into their rented Mercedes, and driven to an apartment in Canning Town. There, they were stripped, bound with tape and cable ties, beaten, burned with cigarettes, and scalded with boiling water—including on their genitals. The attackers demanded $150,000 in crypto, but the victims could only transfer about $30,000 before the gang concluded no more funds were available.
Convictions and ongoing hunt
Gerson Borges and Mohamed Osman were found guilty of conspiracy to blackmail and false imprisonment, while Julius George, Isaac Bakoya, and William Adebisi were convicted of false imprisonment. All defendants were cleared of kidnapping, possessing an imitation firearm, and sexual assault charges. Ibrahim Mohamed, known as “Nino,” was identified as the organizer who directed the group via WhatsApp and Snapchat from overseas and is still being sought.
Rescue after a forgotten phone
The investigation turned when a friend who had accompanied the victims escaped during the initial ambush, leaving his mobile phone inside the car without the gang noticing. He reached a McDonald’s in Earl’s Court and persuaded a security guard to call emergency services. Police used the phone’s location and CCTV footage to locate the victims. A high-speed chase through residential streets—reaching about 70 mph—culminated in the rescue of one victim from the suspects’ car, his hands still tied and cigarette burns visible on his face.
The victims later declined to testify in person, citing fear of the group. The court also heard that the victims’ lavish lifestyle, documented on social media, may have attracted the criminals.
Rising trend of crypto-linked violence
The case adds to a growing pattern of physical coercion targeting cryptocurrency holders. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated on June 30 that 77 cases involving kidnapping, extortion, or attempted offences linked to crypto were recorded in 2026, up from 45 in 2025, with around 200 arrests. Security researchers refer to such incidents as “wrench attacks,” where victims are physically threatened to surrender digital assets rather than having wallets hacked online.
