Belgian Court Sentences Three in Crypto-Related Kidnapping Case
A Brussels court has handed down 12-year prison sentences to three individuals involved in the abduction of cryptocurrency coach Stéphane Winkel's wife. The incident, which occurred in December outside their Forest home, saw the victim forcibly taken and held in a van before police intervention near Bruges.
The convicted kidnappers were ordered to pay over €1 million in damages, with the court dismissing claims of acting under duress. While these perpetrators face justice, authorities acknowledge the masterminds remain at large.
This case highlights a troubling trend of crypto-targeted kidnappings across France. Recent months have seen similar attacks, including the abduction of a TikTok influencer whose assailants demanded cryptocurrency ransom.
