The wife of The Sandbox co-founder and COO Sebastien Borget narrowly escaped an attempted kidnapping at the family home in Villenoy, Seine-et-Marne, on May 20. The attack began at about 8:30 p.m., when one suspect approached the property wearing a branded delivery vest and carrying a cardboard box. After she opened the gate, five hooded accomplices rushed into the courtyard and tried to force her into a Citroen C3 parked outside.
Her calls for help drew neighbors to the scene, stopping the abduction before the suspects could leave. Police later intercepted a ride-hailing vehicle and arrested two teenage suspects: Mateo V., born in 2010, and Walid H., born in 2009, both from Pantin in Seine-Saint-Denis. Investigators recovered a fake handgun, zip-tie restraints and balaclavas. Four suspects remain at large, and France's central security directorate is leading the investigation.
Investigators link the case to crypto industry exposure
Preliminary findings cited by French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche indicate that the attempted abduction was connected to the family's role in the cryptocurrency sector. Borget, 40, is a co-founder of the Ethereum-based virtual gaming platform The Sandbox and serves as its chief operating officer. He has also chaired the Blockchain Game Alliance since 2020. His public profile appears to have made the family easier to identify.
The case fits a broader pattern. According to figures cited from France's National Directorate of the Judicial Police, authorities have recorded 41 crypto kidnappings or attempted abductions since January 1, 2026. Since 2023, the total has reached 135 documented cases. The source material says France accounts for nearly 80% of such incidents across Europe.
France has seen multiple violent crypto-linked attacks this year
The Borget case is one of several reported incidents in 2026. In March, a couple in Le Chesnay lost about €900,000 in Bitcoin during a violent home invasion. In April, the father of a crypto exchange founder was kidnapped in Paris, held for several days and released after a ransom was paid. French police have also noted a shift in the age profile of suspects, with many offenders this year described as minors or young adults. The two suspects arrested in this case are 15 and 16 years old.
French officials addressed the issue at Paris Blockchain Week 2026. Minister Delegate Jean-Didier Berger announced preventive measures, including a dedicated prevention platform for digital asset professionals under threat. Selected French digital asset executives and some family members have also been given enhanced state security protection. No launch date for the platform has been confirmed in the source material.
Visible on-chain wealth is creating offline security pressure
The attempted abduction shows how public blockchain visibility can translate into physical danger. Once wallet holdings are tied to a real-world identity, holders and their families may become targets. In this case, the attack relied on a known address and a routine moment at home.
The source material lists several precautions now being discussed in the sector: avoid publicly confirming holdings, keep hardware wallets separate from the home, vary daily routines, install verified entry systems and report suspicious activity near a residence. The investigation remains active, and four suspects have not yet been arrested.