Crypto Executive Kidnapped and Later Released in France

David Balland, one of the co-founders of Ledger, was abducted from his residence in Central France on January 23, 2025, and subsequently held captive for ransom. The perpetrators requested a substantial sum in cryptocurrency, although the specific amount and payment updates were not made public. Following an extensive operation involving the GIGN, France's elite tactical police unit, Balland and his companion were eventually liberated. This incident underscores the growing apprehensions regarding organized crime in France, particularly in relation to the escalating use of cryptocurrency in criminal activities.