French Couple Forced to Send $1 Million in Bitcoin at Knifepoint

Three men posing as police officers forced a Versailles couple to transfer approximately $1 million in Bitcoin (BTC) at knifepoint, in one of France’s most brazen crypto home invasions.

The attack targeted a man and woman in their late 50s at their home in the Le Chesnay district, according to sources close to Versailles police cited by TF1.

Why it matters:

• Crypto holders face growing physical security risks as on-chain wealth becomes a direct target for organized criminal networks
• France’s 40 documented crypto kidnapping cases since July 2023 signal a systemic threat, not isolated incidents
• Attackers impersonating law enforcement signals a tactical shift that makes conventional home security insufficient

The details:

• Assailants gained entry by posing as police officers; one pulled a knife and threatened to stab the woman unless BTC was transferred
• After the transfer was confirmed, attackers fled in a van, leaving the woman with a minor shoulder injury
• The woman freed herself, untied her husband, then summoned a neighbor for help
• No arrests have been made; suspects face charges including armed robbery, kidnapping, and criminal conspiracy
• The Versailles prosecutor’s office reportedly confirmed the BTC loss and assigned the case to France’s Banditry Repression Brigade, the judicial police unit handling organized crime.

The big picture: