Key Notes
- Two US crypto buyers allegedly kidnapped and tortured an Italian man in Manhattan to steal his Bitcoin.
- The sufferer escaped after 17 days; police discovered weapons, medication, and proof of abuse.
- The case highlights rising bodily threats tied to crypto wealth.
In a brand new weird case within the US, two American crypto buyers stand accused of orchestrating a harrowing kidnapping and torture scheme within the coronary heart of Manhattan.
The alleged sufferer, reportedly an Italian nationwide Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, reportedly endured almost three weeks of brutal captivity in a luxurious SoHo townhouse. What occurred? Properly, the 2 had been keen to realize entry to his multimillion-dollar Bitcoin fortune.
Bitcoin Investor Kidnapping
In keeping with BBC, the Italian arrived in New York Metropolis on Might 6, 2025. He got here to resolve a monetary dispute with former enterprise affiliate John Woeltz, a 37-year-old crypto entrepreneur from Kentucky. Upon arrival on the opulent 17-room townhouse at 38 Prince Avenue—rented for $75,000 per thirty days—Carturan was allegedly ambushed by Woeltz and his confederate William Duplessie, 33, a Florida-based crypto investor with ties to Switzerland.
In keeping with court docket paperwork seen by AP, Carturan was stripped of his passport and digital gadgets, sure with electrical cords, and subjected to torture. These included electrical shocks administered whereas his toes had been submerged in water, pistol-whipping, pressured ingestion of crack cocaine, and threats involving a chainsaw. At one level, he was reportedly dangled over a stairwell ledge as his captors demanded the password to his Bitcoin pockets.
The Sufferer Escapes
After enduring 17 days of captivity, the sufferer managed a dramatic escape on Might 23. He fled the townhouse barefoot and bloodied, flagging down a close-by NYPD visitors officer. Surveillance footage captured the second, displaying a visibly distressed Carturan in search of assist.
🤙🏽Details Dude Drop: Crypto Dealer Tortures Italian For Bitcoin In NYC Nightmare
John Woeltz, was busted for kidnapping a person for 17 days. The Italian vacationer was crushed, shocked with wires, and pistol-whipped for his bitcoin password.
pic.twitter.com/eFb1iadniq— The Details Dude (@The_Facts_Dude) Might 27, 2025
Contained in the townhouse, investigators found incriminating proof: a noticed, crack cocaine, physique armor, evening imaginative and prescient goggles, ballistic helmets, and Polaroid images depicting Carturan sure and held at gunpoint. Blood stains had been additionally discovered all through the residence.
The Suspects: One other Crypto King
John Woeltz, dubbed the “Crypto King of Kentucky,” was arrested shortly after Carturan’s escape. He faces a number of costs, together with:
- first-degree kidnapping,
- assault,
- illegal imprisonment,
- prison possession of a firearm.
Woeltz is being held with out bail, with prosecutors citing his substantial wealth and entry to personal air journey as causes for concern relating to his potential flight danger.
John Woeltz – $100M web value, investor, businessman, assassin…
He kidnapped Michael Valentino and tortured him for 17 days.
“Tied to a chair, pressured to take medication, threatened with a chainsaw”, — all to get $30M
Here is the complete story. Set off Warning: delicate content material 🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/Lp7WH2sQ03
— Useless In Sol (@deadinsol) Might 25, 2025
William Duplessie surrendered to authorities on Might 27. He faces related costs and can be being held with out bail. Duplessie, co-founder of the now-defunct Pangea Blockchain Fund, has a historical past of economic and authorized troubles, together with lawsuits over unpaid money owed and a pending case in Switzerland.
A 3rd particular person, 24-year-old Beatrice Folchi, was initially arrested however later launched with out costs pending additional investigation. Folchi, initially from Italy, has a background in luxurious branding and performing.
Broader Implications
This case highlights a disturbing development within the cryptocurrency world: the bodily concentrating on of people for his or her digital property. As extra buyers retailer vital wealth in cryptocurrencies, usually secured by private information or bodily gadgets, they grow to be more and more susceptible to theft and violence. Legislation enforcement companies are more and more encountering such assaults, the place victims are bodily pressured to disclose entry to their crypto holdings.
The investigation into this case is ongoing, with authorities not ruling out the potential for further suspects or costs. Each Woeltz and Duplessie are scheduled for upcoming court docket appearances, the place they face the prospect of prolonged jail sentences if convicted.
Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is dedicated to offering unbiased and clear reporting. This text goals to ship correct and well timed data however shouldn’t be taken as monetary or funding recommendation. Since market situations can change quickly, we encourage you to confirm data by yourself and seek the advice of with knowledgeable earlier than making any selections based mostly on this content material.
Yana Khlebnikova joined CoinSpeaker as an editor in January 2025, after earlier stints at Techopedia, crypto.information, Cointelegraph, and CoinMarketCap, the place she honed her experience in cryptocurrency journalism.
