Crypto Kidnapping: 2nd Suspect Surrenders After Manhattan Bitcoin Torture Plot

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May 27, 2025

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A second suspect is in custody for imprisoning and torturing an Italian man alongside crypto investor John Woeltz in Manhattan, reports emerged on Tuesday.

Alleged Kidnapper Faces Hefty Charges

33-year-old William Duplessie of Miami, FL, turned himself in to police on May 27 following Woeltz’s shocking arrest on Friday.

According to reports, Duplessie and the one-time “Kentucky king of crypto” are facing charges of assault, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a firearm.

A bio on Kando.Tech lists Duplessie as the co-founder of the Switzerland-based Pangaea Digital Asset Fund, an organization that focuses on recovering distressed financial blockchain firms.

Police claim Duplessie and Woeltz are business partners, though it is not immediately clear in what capacity.

Italian Man Shocked, Threatened With Gun In NYC Crypto Crime

The duo is believed to have kidnapped, tortured, and abused an unidentified Italian man in a bid to gain illicit access to his Bitcoin.

Duplessie and Woeltz are said to have turned their backs on the 28-year-old foreign national shortly after he revealed his Bitcoin password, giving the victim just enough time to break free from captivity in the luxury Nolita apartment and flag down a nearby traffic officer for help.

The man told police he was lured to New York City by the two men on May 6 before subsequently being bound, shocked, cut, threatened with a gun, and dangled over a ledge by the purported crypto captors.

Reports indicate that the anonymous victim may have been a business partner of Duplessie and Woeltz, although this has not been confirmed.

The family of Woeltz told The New York Post on Monday that the $100 millionaire may have been “manipulated” himself.

“He’s a kind, caring, loving person so he was completely controlled by other people,” Woeltz’s relative told the media outlet.

Woeltz’s next hearing is slated for May 28. However, it is still unclear when Duplessie will appear in court next.