The recent case of an Italian tourist who was kidnapped in New York City and tortured by people allegedly after his cryptocurrency is drawing attention to a rash of crimes dubbed "wrench attacks," which combine cybertheft with old-fashioned thuggery.

A crypto investor was arrested for kidnapping and torturing an Italian man for weeks to steal his Bitcoin password.

Details emerge on the NYC Bitcoin torture case, where John Woeltz allegedly tortured Michael Carturan to obtain his crypto password.

A surge in violent attacks on crypto holders is driving insurers to develop kidnap and ransom policies tailored for digital asset investors.

The rise in crypto-related crime incidents show that crime is changing everywhere, says Bloomberg Opinion's Lionel Laurent.

The US has reported the highest number of crypto kidnapping cases since 2019, despite a recent spike in France. Victims often include traders, executives, and their families, with attackers using physical threats to demand Bitcoin.

An alleged kidnapping in New York is the latest instance in which authorities say cryptocurrency-related crimes have involved real-world violence.

A New York City detective who worked on Mayor Eric Adams' security detail has been linked to a crypto millionaire's kidnapping and torture.