A young French TikTok crypto trader was kidnapped in a shocking incident that ended not with ransom, but with rejection—after his captors discovered he was broke. The 26-year-old influencer, who boasts 40,000 followers on the video-sharing platform, was abducted in Juvisy-sur-Orge on Friday night. The kidnappers demanded €50,000 ($57,000) in cryptocurrency, forcing the victim into a stolen car and assaulting him during the ordeal.

However, the plan fell apart the next day when the trader convinced his captors that he simply didn’t have the funds. After showing them the low balance in his crypto wallet, the group released him. The case is now under investigation by France’s Organized and Specialized Crime Division, and the victim was granted six days of medical leave due to injuries.

This incident adds to a disturbing trend in France, where kidnappings targeting crypto holders are increasing. In May, criminals attempted to kidnap the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, the CEO of Paymium, a major French crypto exchange. That same month, police rescued the father of another crypto entrepreneur after days in captivity—during which the victim’s finger was severed in a brutal €7 million extortion attempt.

Authorities are ramping up efforts to crack down on these crimes. French police recently arrested multiple suspects, including one of the alleged masterminds captured in Morocco. On May 31, the Paris prosecutor's office charged 25 individuals linked to coordinated attacks on wealthy crypto figures.