US EditionWhy "Wrench Attacks" on Wealthy Crypto Holders Are on the Rise
- On May 27, 2025, a man from Italy reported being held captive and subjected to torture over several weeks within a luxury townhouse in Manhattan, where assailants attempted to steal his bitcoin in what is known as a wrench attack.
- This attack reflects growing violence targeting wealthy crypto holders because cryptocurrencies allow full control of funds without banks or government permission.
- Crypto thefts usually occur by hacking, but wrench attacks involve forcing victims to reveal private keys, and similar violent attacks have happened in France including finger amputation.
- Two people have been charged in the New York case, but many details including the bitcoin’s value remain unknown; Phil Ariss of TRM Labs noted wrench attacks are rising as crypto enters mainstream finance.
- Experts recommend mitigating wrench attacks by using multi-approval wallets and maintaining anonymity since criminal groups prone to violence likely migrate to cryptocurrency targets.
65 Articles
65 Articles
Richmond Times-Dispatch
'Wrench' attacks on the rise
CYBERSECURITY
Why ‘wrench attacks’ on wealthy crypto holders are on the rise - Washington Examiner
The headline-grabbing tale of an Italian man who said he was kidnapped and tortured for weeks inside an upscale Manhattan townhouse by captors seeking his bitcoin highlights a dark corner of the cryptocurrency world: the threat of violence by thieves seeking digital assets. The alleged attempted robbery is known as a “wrench attack.” It’s a name popularized by an online comic that mocked how easily high-tech security can be undone by hitting som…
Italian crypto torture victim returned to NYC to reclaim stolen Bitcoin from thieves who then held him hostage for weeks: DA
Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan wanted to recoup his stolen bitcoin but was instead held in a nightmarish SoHo torture chamber for nearly three weeks.
Why ’wrench attacks’ on wealthy crypto holders are on the rise
The headline-grabbing tale of an Italian man who said he was kidnapped and tortured for weeks inside an upscale Manhattan townhouse by captors seeking his bitcoin highlights a dark corner of the cryptocurrency world: the threat of violence by thieves seeking digital assets.
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