Belgian Court Sentences Three Kidnappers Involved in Encryption Ransom Case to 12 Years in Prison

BlockBeats News, July 4th, According to Cointelegraph's report, the Brussels Criminal Court in Belgium has ruled on a cryptocurrency-related kidnapping case. Three kidnappers were sentenced to 12 years each for kidnapping the wife of local cryptocurrency entrepreneur Stéphane Winkel in December 2024 and demanding a cryptocurrency ransom. They are also required to pay at least 1 million euros in civil compensation to the victim.

The mastermind of the case is still at large. Although the victim was promptly rescued by the police, she suffered severe physical and psychological trauma, leading to the Winkel couple being forced to move. Winkel is the founder of the crypto education platform Crypto Académie, and his YouTube channel has 40,000 subscribers. He stated after the incident that he would adjust his content strategy to focus on security education rather than wallet operational demonstrations.