France charges 88 suspects as crypto wrench attacks surge

French authorities have indicted at least 88 people over alleged wrench attacks targeting crypto owners. 

The group includes ten minors, said Vanessa Perrée, France’s national prosecutor for organized crime. 

The cases relate to 12 investigations handled by specialized judges at the Paris Judicial Court. Prosecutors said 75 of the accused remain in pre-trial detention as law enforcement continues to examine the networks behind the attacks.

Crypto owners face physical extortion threats

Wrench attacks involve physical threats or violence used to force victims to transfer crypto assets. French authorities have linked such crimes to home invasions, kidnappings, extortion attempts and forced wallet access.

PNACO has recorded a sharp rise in these cases. The agency tracked 18 incidents in 2024, 67 in 2025 and 47 so far in 2026, showing how physical crypto-related crime has grown in France.

Perrée said the crimes carry serious legal weight because they involve abduction, detention, extortion and attempts to force crypto transfers. She said the acts were serious because of “the harm caused to individuals” and the methods used.

Investigators have merged several cases after finding repeated links between some suspects. Perrée said these links revealed “the existence of structured networks,” with authorities still working to identify the organizers and money flows.

Security warnings grow for crypto users

The rise in wrench attacks has renewed warnings for crypto holders. Perrée urged users and relatives to stay careful and avoid “overexposure on social networks” that may make them targets.

Security experts have also warned that public displays of crypto wealth can create personal risk. Blockchain security firm CertiK said physical crypto attacks worldwide rose 75% in 2025 from the previous year.

Casa chief security officer Jameson Lopp has tracked wrench attacks worldwide since 2014. His public list shows 29 incidents so far this year, including five cases recorded in April.

Blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs said such attacks have increased because criminals can connect public wealth signals with personal data found online. The firm also cited the perceived privacy of crypto transfers as a factor behind the rise.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov also commented on the situation in France. He suggested that the rise in attacks may be linked to alleged misuse of crypto investor tax data by a former tax official.

French investigators said their work remains active. Authorities are trying to identify all attackers, trace financial routes and break up the groups involved in the crypto wrench attack cases.