Brazilian Police Arrest Four After Crypto Trader’s Mother Kidnapped for Bitcoin Ransom

Brazilian police have apprehended four suspects accused of kidnapping the mother of a crypto trader and demanding a ransom exceeding 3.3 million reais in Bitcoin.

Local reports indicate that the victim, a retired teacher, was abducted in March outside the premise of a community forum in Recife.

The kidnappers—comprising of two men and two women—allegedly identified her as a target after tracking her son’s activities on social media, believing she might have access to significant digital assets.

Authorities stated that the attackers managed to stalk the trader’s social media posts, and from there deducting the exact location of the family residence and later ochestrateing the whole kidnapping.

According to Brazilian investigators, the kidnappers held the trader's mother at gunpoint for 12 hours, before her son, who was based in Portugal, was finally forced to transfer more than 5BTC to secure her release.

Local law enforcement warned that recovering the transferred Bitcoin from the kidnappers may prove challenging, as cryptocurrencies often move quickly across borders and anonymous wallets.

This case highlights a broader global trend of rising “wrench attacks”—a term coined to describe the violent, real-world targeting of crypto holders.

“Wrench Attacks” Surge as Crypto Grows

These attacks have become more common as high-value crypto transactions and online boasting attract organized criminals.

Last month in London, four individuals were convicted after kidnapping a Belgian barber who boasted about his alleged Bitcoin holdings online, although it was later discovered that he didn't actually possess the fortune he described.

The French authorities also recently detained 25 suspects linked to a series of cryptocurrency kidnappings and attempted abductions, including failed attacks on the family members of prominent industry figures.

Earlier this year, the co-founder of Ledger, David Balland, and his wife were abducted in France with ransom demands, and Balland was reportedly suffered a life altering injury to his hands. After a grueling 24 hours, the French authorities finally managed to rescue the couple.

Many similar cases were also seen across the globe in the United States, one of which being the case where a crypto investor was kidnapped and tortured in New York City and forced to surrender the password to his crypto wallet.

The two kidnappers were later released on a $1 million dollar bail. Despite all the frenzy, Bitcoin remains resilient, recently trading above $117,300, with an all-time high surpassing $124,000 last week.

These incidents underscore the critical need for operational security among investors, especially those active on social media or maintaining substantial digital holdings.

With digital wealth increasing in the crosshairs of criminal organizations around the globe, authorities continue to urge crypto investors to exercise discretion, enhance their privacy practices, and avoid publicizing their holdings whenever possible.