Brussels Court Sentences Trio to 12 Years for Cryptocurrency-Linked Kidnapping

A Brussels court has handed down 12-year prison sentences to three men convicted of kidnapping the wife of prominent Belgian crypto investor Stéphane Winkel. The December 2024 abduction outside the couple's Forest neighborhood home involved a van with French plates and a planned cryptocurrency ransom demand.

Police intercepted the perpetrators after a cross-country chase culminating NEAR Bruges, where officers forced the vehicle off the road. While the defendants claimed coercion through death threats, judges dismissed these arguments as implausible, citing clear evidence of premeditation. The court ordered €1 million in restitution to the victims.

The traumatic incident has prompted lasting security concerns for the Winkels, who relocated residences following the attack. The investor publicly reflected on the episode in January, stating safety must now take precedence for himself and his associates.