In Brazil, a retired teacher was kidnapped for a ransom of over 3.3 million reais (approximately $600,000 in Bitcoin) after criminals tracked her crypto-trading son through social media. The incident occurred when the mother was abducted by a gang as she left a forum in Recife. Believing she would have access to her son's crypto wealth, the kidnappers held her at gunpoint for 12 hours, during which her son in Portugal sent 5 BTC to secure her release. Brazilian police have arrested four suspects involved in the kidnapping, highlighting the rise of 'wrench attacks' across the globe, where individuals are targeted for their perceived cryptocurrency riches. This incident follows other notable cases, including multiple kidnapping attempts related to crypto wealth in France and the U.S., indicating a troubling trend fueled by social media. Police face challenges in retrieving the ransom Bitcoin paid to the kidnappers, underlining the risks associated with crypto investments and public visibility in the digital asset space.

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