A statement released by Vanessa Perrée, the head prosecutor for organized crime in France, says 88 people, including ten juveniles, were charged by French law enforcement officials for their involvement in various wrench attacks against cryptocurrency owners. Out of the accused, seventy-five are in custody as their trials are pending.
Wrench attacks typically use physical violence against individuals until they hand over their digital assets.
There is a wide range of wrench attacks!
There have been reported cases where attackers break into homes or kidnap people to coerce them into handing over their cryptocurrencies. The authorities have made it clear that such attacks present a greater threat to cryptocurrency investors, who now face physical danger alongside cyber attacks.
In connection with these investigations, special judges from the Paris Judicial Court will conduct the proceedings under the supervision of the National Prosecuting Authority for Organized Crimes (PNACO). It is evident that a worrying trend exists, whereby suspects seem to be related to each other in committing more than one attack involving wrenches.
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According to Perrée, these connections have enabled investigators to consolidate cases and better understand the structure of these groups. Data from PNACO shows how wrench attacks have grown over the recent years.
It has grown from 18 in 2024 to 67 in 2025.
By early 2026, 47 instances were recorded already. This increase can be explained by similar patterns around the world, with blockchain security company CertiK citing an alarming 75% increase in these crimes globally in 2025 from the previous year.
The authorities have been trying to crack down on these networks, analyzing all financial transactions and tracking everyone who participated in the scheme. It may prove difficult because of the well-organized structure of the gang, but efforts are being made in order to address the increasing danger that comes with wrench attacks.
Criminologists have warned that it is mainly the visibility of crypto assets that serves as an incentive for these crimes. People openly showing their riches on social media sites in connection with the pseudonymity of blockchain technology makes them easy targets for criminals. These criminals can easily collect any necessary information about the people in question on the Internet.
The officials encourage people who have cryptocurrencies in their wallets to be careful and implement some necessary measures. It involves minimizing oversharing on the Internet, protecting one’s data, being aware of unsolicited connections, etc. Moreover, fraudsters can even pretend to be representatives of the government or court and ask for confidential data.
Some additional remarks by the experts from TRM Labs, which provides blockchain intelligence services, say that such cases occur due to human errors as well as some technical innovations. Blockchain technologies have become more secure nowadays, but people still represent the biggest security risk in the process of handling them.
Moreover, it was suggested by some individuals, including Pavel Durov, the Telegram founder, that the use of some tax data could play its role in France, though there are no official reports about this statement yet.
Thus, it is important to act cautiously when dealing with cryptocurrencies.
