A co-founder of crypto technology pocket strong Ledger has been released from prison in France, about a day after what’s being described as a kidnapping with crypto ransom demands.
Ledger co-founder David Balland, was abducted Tuesday from his home in Cher ( Centre-Val de Loire ), French news outlets reported Thursday, citing a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office. Captors drove Balland to an address in a local city, where he remained prisoner for about 24 hours.
Local law enforcement liberated Balland on Wednesday in a rescue operation led by the National Gendarmerie and its treatment group.
The captors demanded a huge payment from the billionaire’s associates and household, nearby news outlets reported. The amount of the payment, and whether or not it was paid, remains vague as of publication time.
The Paris prosecutor’s company did not immediately respond to request for comment. Ledger also did not immediately respond to request for comment.
First responders took Balland to crisis services to address health wounds upon his recovery. Researchers are still investigating the abduction, the prosecutor’s company told local papers Thursday.
Balland co-founded Ledger in Paris in 2014. The company secured a valuation of$ 1. 5 billion in 2021 after raising$ 380 million from shareholders, with the company adding additional money in 2023.
The theft comes at a time when the prices of some bitcoin have skyrocketed in recent months. The price of Bitcoin—often used as a measure for the strength of the crypto market—traded above$ 106,000 this night, CoinGecko data reveals, after notching a fresh all-time high value near$ 109,000 on Monday.
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