US Court Indicts Second Suspect in Cryptocurrency Kidnapping Case
Manhattan prosecutors have unveiled charges against William Duplessie, the second suspect in a harrowing cryptocurrency-related kidnapping. The indictment, sealed until his June 11 arraignment, includes assault, unlawful imprisonment, and weapons possession. Duplessie and accomplice John Woeltz allegedly lured an Italian investor to a Soho townhouse on May 6 under death threats to his family.
The victim endured 17 days of captivity involving electrical torture, forced drug use, and physical threats—including being dangled from a fifth-story staircase. His escape came only after surrendering device passwords, enabling flight while captors retrieved the crypto assets. The case highlights growing physical risks in high-stakes digital asset circles.
