A Brazilian woman was kidnapped by a gang demanding a Bitcoin ransom exceeding $600,000 after they targeted her crypto-trader son. The incident occurred in Recife when the retired teacher was taken after leaving a social media forum in March. The assailants tracked her son's online activity, believing she had access to substantial crypto assets. After holding her for 12 hours at gunpoint, the alleged kidnapper's demands were met when her son, based in Portugal, transferred 5 BTC to secure her release. Brazilian authorities have since arrested four suspects involved. This type of crime, called 'wrench attacks,' is becoming increasingly prevalent globally, as illustrated by similar cases in London and France, where criminals have targeted individuals boasting about their cryptocurrency wealth.

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