Pavel Durov on crypto kidnappings: ‘French tax officials sell data to criminals’

France is increasingly becoming a risky place for crypto investors, with 41 kidnappings in 2026, according to Telegram founder Pavel Durov.  

Durov said that French tax officials and data leaks are to blame for the physical attacks against crypto investors. 

He cautioned that the renewed push by most European governments to control the personal data of social media users would make the situation worse. The more data the governments control, he argued, the more kidnapping victims will rise in case of data breaches. 

The Telegram founder was referencing Ghalia C., a former French tax official who was implicated for selling confidential financial data to criminal networks. 

France leads Europe in crypto kidnappings

According to data, France is 12x riskier for crypto investors than most European regions. In 2026, live monitoring data showed that the country had 24 cases of crypto-related kidnappings. 

This was the highest level of physical attacks across Europe and the world. In contrast, the U.S. and the U.K. saw only two cases of attacks over the same period. 

Notably, in January, a couple was kidnapped and tortured for their son’s €8 million crypto assets. Even David Prinçay, the CEO of Binance France, was targeted in a botched kidnapping attempt in February. 

The physical attacks, also known as ‘wrench attacks,’ have led to $106 million in losses so far in 2026. Surprisingly, both physical and on-chain attacks have intensified, underscoring an industry under siege. 

In 2025, Ledger wallet co-founder David Balland had his body mutilated following a violent kidnapping. In fact, globally, these wrench attacks surged 75% last year, with a total loss of about $40 million, according to security research firm Certik.  

In other words, the estimated losses so far in early 2026 have doubled the 2025 figures, underscoring the serious nature and threat of crypto kidnappings. 

Some precautionary and safety measures against kidnappings include maintaining a low profile about your crypto holdings.

Additionally, reduce online presence, and if unavoidable, then use decoy wallets with small crypto amounts that you can use if you’re under attack.  

Final Summary 

• Durov blamed persistent French crypto kidnappings on tax officials and data leaks. 
• Wrench attacks have led to $100 million in losses in 2026, doubling 2025’s $40 million.