French Crypto Startup Co-Founder Freed After Kidnapping (1)

A co-founder of French crypto wallet startup Ledger SAS and his partner were released after being kidnapped in central France, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Thursday.

David Balland was taken from his home in the early hours of Tuesday and freed on Wednesday night after a police operation in Châteauroux. His partner was also kidnapped, and released on Thursday. After Balland and his partner were separated, the kidnappers approached another Ledger co-founder with a substantial ransom demand in cryptocurrency, the Paris prosecutor said.

“Part of the ransom has been paid. Almost all of it has been traced, frozen and ...