The daughter of a Crypto CEO was reportedly almost kidnapped in Paris by a masked group wielding knives. The suspects attacked her and her two-year-old child.
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According to a report by the New York Post, the incident occurred on a sidewalk in Paris’s 11th District on Tuesday. Local media have reportedly only identified the victims as the family of a “CEO of a cryptocurrency purchasing platform.” A group of men wearing balaclavas allegedly tried to kidnap the woman, 34, with her two-year-old daughter before witnesses intervened.
French news outlet Le Parisien revealed terrifying video footage of the incident. Two masked men throw the woman to the ground while a third comes out of a parked white van with a knife. The masked suspect from the vehicle appears to slash at the victim on the ground before standing by the van’s rear doors. The footage also appears to show that someone pulled out a gun. The masked men were eventually chased away by a bystander who grabbed the handgun from the ground and another who was wielding a fire extinguisher.
A translated report from the outlet stresses that it’s unknown if the gun is real. Per CNN, sources confirm that the weapon was fake and the woman’s partner was involved in the scuffle.
The Suspects Escaped And Remain At Large
CNN reports that passers-by assisted the victims and emergency services treated the trio for ‘light injuries’ in the hospital. The Paris prosecutors’ office reportedly told the outlet that authorities have not arrested anybody in connection with the incident. However, an investigation is underway. Officials are also trying to determine a motive and if the kidnapping attempt is linked to the family’s ties with Cryptocurrency, per the New York Post.
The van in the video has the brand name “Chronopost” on the rear doors. Chronopost is a French postal service, and the company has addressed the incident on X. The company notes that no vehicles are missing or have been stolen from their fleet. They believe the van shown in the footage has false branding and is not from the company. Chronopost also says they are cooperating fully with authorities.