Recently, Bitcoin prices surged past $110,000, attracting many influencers to speculate in cryptocurrencies for wealth. However, a peculiar kidnapping incident in France has exposed the facade of a 26-year-old crypto influencer who boasts 40,000 followers on TikTok.

According to French media outlet Europe 1, on the night of Friday the 13th, he was forcibly abducted by four assailants on his way home and was demanded to hand over 50,000 euros (approximately NT$1.69 million) in cryptocurrency as ransom. Under duress, he was forced to open his cryptocurrency accounts, but the kidnappers were stunned to find that his assets were 'pathetically low,' leading them to release him.

The incident has sparked extensive media coverage in France, with many netizens criticizing the influencer's seemingly affluent lifestyle as mere staged photography. French police have indicated that during the kidnapping, the influencer was assaulted, and although he has since been released, he is reportedly experiencing significant emotional distress and has taken six days off work to recover. The case is now being investigated by the French Central Office for the Suppression of Organized Crime (DCPJ), which is tracking the whereabouts of the four kidnappers.