New York Crypto Investor Charged with Kidnapping and Torturing Italian for Passwords

According to ChainCatcher, as reported by CoinTelegraph, a 37-year-old crypto investor in New York, John Woeltz, has been accused of kidnapping and torturing a 28-year-old Italian man to obtain the password to his Bitcoin wallet.

Allegedly, Woeltz held the man hostage for several weeks in a luxury townhouse in New York's Soho district, during which he subjected him to physical abuse and threats. The victim arrived in the United States on May 6 and was reportedly kidnapped shortly after his arrival. The victim eventually managed to escape and report to the police, leading to Woeltz's arrest on May 23. He has been charged with four felonies, including kidnapping for ransom.