French police have arrested six suspects in connection with the kidnapping of a judge for ransom in the form of cryptocurrency.

French police have arrested six suspects in connection with the kidnapping of a judge and his mother. According to Agence France-Presse, the 35-year-old judge and his 67-year-old mother were kidnapped on Wednesday and Thursday nights last week and were later found injured and imprisoned in a garage in the Drôme area. Prosecutor Thierry Dran stated that the kidnappers sent photos and messages to the judge's partner, threatening to maim the victims if a cryptocurrency ransom was not paid. The victims eventually escaped with the intervention of neighbors and no ransom was paid. CertiK reports that such cryptocurrency wrench attacks are evolving into organized crime, with 72 such cases reported globally in 2025, resulting in a total loss of $41 million. Six suspects, including a minor, have been detained, and the case is still under further investigation.