A Brazilian woman was kidnapped by a gang seeking to extort her son, a crypto trader, for a ransom of over 3.3 million reais (approximately $600,000). Authorities reported that the retired teacher was abducted in Recife after the gang tracked her via her son's social media activity, believing she had access to substantial crypto assets. After her abduction, she was held at gunpoint for 12 hours until her son, who is based in Portugal, sent 5 BTC as ransom. This incident highlights a worrying trend of 'wrench attacks'—kidnappings for cryptocurrency—that are increasingly common worldwide. Brazilian police have arrested four suspects linked to this case, although they warn that recovering the extorted Bitcoin may be complicated. Similar kidnappings have occurred globally, with notable incidents involving a Belgian barber and the co-founder of the French crypto exchange Paymium, indicating a rise in crypto-related crime.

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