Belgium Court Sentences Trio to 12 Years in Crypto Entrepreneur Kidnapping Case
Three individuals received 12-year prison sentences for the 2024 kidnapping of a cryptocurrency entrepreneur's wife in Belgium. The Brussels Criminal Court found them guilty of hostage-taking after they abducted the victim outside her home and demanded a ransom in digital assets.
The case underscores growing concerns about the physical security risks tied to crypto wealth. Police intervened swiftly after the victim's husband, Stéphane Winkel—a local crypto educator—alerted authorities. A high-risk vehicle interception led to her rescue and the suspects' arrest.
While the court ordered €1 million in civil compensation, investigators continue pursuing unidentified masterminds behind the plot. The defendants' claims of acting under duress remain unverified as the probe unfolds.
