Six men and one woman were charged and detained in France on Friday on suspicion of being involved in the kidnapping and holding for ransom of a cryptocurrency company cofounder and his partner, the Paris Prosecutor's Office and the anti-crime unit (Junalco) announced on Saturday.
The suspects were charged in a judicial investigation opened on Friday by Junalco for crimes such as abduction, detention, and torture or acts of barbarism to coerce compliance with an order. These charges carry sentences of life imprisonment. According to the Prosecutor's Office, they were placed in provisional detention as requested.
Two of the suspects requested additional time to prepare their defense and were incarcerated pending a hearing before a judge of liberties and detention.
The suspects are believed to have kidnapped David Balland (36) and his partner early Tuesday morning from their home in Méreau (Cher), holding them for ransom.
No specific details have been released about each individual's role in the crime. Five of the suspects are between the ages of 20 and 25. Their lawyers declined to comment.
The alert was raised by Eric Larchevêque, cofounder of Ledger, who received a video showing a mutilated finger of Balland along with a significant ransom demand in cryptocurrency.
Balland, cofounder and former employee of Ledger, was found during a police raid in Châteauroux (Centre-Val de Loire) on Wednesday. He had been injured and was taken to hospital for treatment. Further investigations led to the discovery of a vehicle in Etampes (Essonne) on Thursday, where his partner was found tied up in the boot.
