New York, NY – William Duplessie, 32, has been charged with multiple serious crimes, including kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and assault, in a case involving the alleged torture of a man to extract his Bitcoin wallet password.
Duplessie surrendered to authorities on Tuesday, following the arrest of his alleged accomplice, John Woeltz, 37, a Kentucky-based crypto investor. The two are accused of detaining a 28-year-old Italian national in a luxury SoHo townhouse, where the victim says he was tortured for nearly three weeks.
The man claims he was hung off a roof ledge, shocked with electrical wires, threatened with a chainsaw, and forced to smoke crack cocaine, all while his captors demanded access to his cryptocurrency assets. At one point, a firearm was pointed at his head, and threats were made against his family.
Authorities say the ordeal began shortly after the victim arrived in New York from Italy on May 6. Woeltz allegedly confiscated his passport and confined him to the townhouse, which he rented for $30,000 to $40,000 per month.
The victim managed to escape on May 24 after pretending to comply with their demands. He fled barefoot and bloodied while the suspects searched for his laptop. Police found Polaroid photos of the victim tied up, along with drugs and firearms in the residence.
Prosecutors stated Duplessie was Woeltz’s business partner and requested that both men be held without bail, citing flight risks. Duplessie’s lawyer requested $1 million bail and house arrest in Florida, but the judge denied it.
Meanwhile, Woeltz remains in custody due to his access to a private jet and helicopter, which prosecutors argued could be used to flee the country.
This case follows a broader international trend. In France, over 20 people were recently arrested in connection to attempted kidnappings of crypto entrepreneurs, highlighting a growing threat in the digital currency world.
Cyber-crime attorney David Seltzer noted, “Instead of robbing a bank, criminals now target individuals for their crypto wallets. It’s seen as a shortcut to cash.”
