A Brazilian woman was kidnapped in Recife after her son, a crypto trader, was targeted by criminals aware of his online activities. The alleged kidnappers, a group of two men and two women, successfully captured the woman and demanded a ransom of 5 Bitcoin, approximately $600,000. They detained her at gunpoint for over 12 hours until the ransom was paid by her son, who resides in Portugal. The police have arrested four suspects connected to the kidnapping, which is being classified as a 'wrench attack'—a term used for kidnappings targeting individuals with significant cryptocurrency holdings. Such incidents are becoming increasingly common, with notable cases reported globally, including the recent abduction of a Belgian barber and various attempts against crypto investors in France. Investigators indicated that recovering the Bitcoin ransom from the kidnappers poses challenges, as the cryptocurrency's anonymity complicates the tracing process.

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