A prominent French artist and cryptocurrency advocate has blamed the French government for an ongoing, violent epidemic of crypto-related kidnappings and extortions across the country.
Artist Pascal Boyart took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn the state’s regulatory approach in response to a report that physical “$5 wrench attacks” are spiraling out of control in France
“The French government is 100% complicit,” Boyart stated. “Rendering the judicial system inoperative + kyc as kidnapp your customer; it’s part of their war against crypto.”
A long-time Bitcoin supporter
Pascal Boyart has been a vocal pioneer of the intersection between art and blockchain for years.
As reported by U.Today, Boyart organized the “Bitcoin Art (r)Evolution” in Paris back in 2018. This was the world’s first global art exhibition fully devoted to Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.
Aiming to make Paris the capital of a new crypto-artistic movement, Boyart has long championed blockchain technology as a tool to eliminate middlemen, increase transparency, and free artists from the restrictions imposed by the traditional banking system.
“Wrench attacks” in France
Boyart’s frustration stems from a horrific and growing trend of physical violence targeting digital wealth.
A “$5 wrench attack” is a term used in the crypto community to describe scenarios where criminals bypass complex digital security measures by simply using physical violence, torture, or kidnapping to force victims into handing over their private keys or passwords.
France has become a major hotspot for this type of crime. According to leaked reports from the French Judicial Police (SIRASCO), authorities handled at least 40 cases of organized crypto kidnappings between 2023 and the end of 2025. Investigators have discovered that many of these attacks are commissioned by overseas criminal kingpins who recruit local intermediaries and thugs to carry out the violence.
Criminals frequently use social media, digital footprints, and data leaks to identify individuals holding significant crypto wealth.
The violence in France has escalated to terrifying levels. Several high-profile executives and their families have been targeted over the past year, including Ledger co-founder David Balland.