Inside the BTC Torture Plot: Italian Millionaire Kidnapped in NYC
Cutting straight to the heart of the matter: an Italian businessman was allegedly enticed to New York City and subjected to torment over stolen Bitcoin keys. Federal prosecutors revealed on May 29, 2025, that 35-year-old Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan was lured under the guise of a high-stakes investment meeting before being restrained in a Queens residence. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and FBI spokesman James Smith (per DOJ filings), Carturan was hit with electrical shocks and threatened with weapons until he disclosed the PIN to his digital wallet containing roughly $4.8 million in Bitcoin.
Authorities unsealed an indictment against John Woeltz, 28, and William Duplessie, 29, alongside a third suspect still at large. Court documents obtained by The New York Times outline how the pair orchestrated the scheme in April 2024, renting the safe house under false names and using counter-surveillance tactics to avoid detection. Over several days, Carturan endured physical and psychological torment, including beats with a metal baton and deprivation of food, all aimed at forcing a transfer of crypto assets. Phone records shared with TMZ and corroborated by People Magazine show repeated calls between Woeltz and an unidentified co-conspirator planning the victim’s transport from Milan to JFK Airport.
In early June, federal agents swooped in: Woeltz was arrested in New Jersey on June 7, and Duplessie followed suit the next day in Brooklyn. Both face charges of kidnapping resulting in death or serious bodily injury and conspiracy to commit extortion. If convicted, each could face up to life in prison. Investigators credit an inside tip from Carturan’s private security team—who alerted the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force after noticing unusual transfers from his crypto accounts—with turning the tide.
While the DOJ touted this as a victory against organized digital crime, it raises alarming questions about the growing intersection of cryptocurrency and violent crime. Blockchain experts, including Cynthia Hart from CoinDesk, warn that this incident underscores the vulnerability of unregulated digital assets. Meanwhile, local advocates call on city officials to strengthen oversight around crypto exchange operations and safe-house rentals.
And there you have it: a high-profile abduction that reads like a thriller, but with real-world stakes and sobering implications for the future of finance. Make of that what you will.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and U.S. Attorney’s Office Press Release, FBI Safe Streets Task Force, The New York Times, TMZ, People Magazine
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
