The wife of Sébastien Borget, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of the popular metaverse platform The Sandbox, narrowly escaped an attempted kidnapping at their residence on Tuesday evening, May 20, around 8:30 PM. The incident is the latest in a alarming wave of violence and robberies targeting cryptocurrency figures and their families in France.
According to reported, an individual disguised as a delivery driver approached the couple’s home wearing a reflective vest and carrying a package. When the gate was opened, five hooded accomplices burst into the courtyard and tried to forcibly drag the woman toward a waiting Citroën C3. Her screams alerted neighbors, who intervened quickly and forced the gang to flee. The victim was unharmed.
Two minor suspects, identified as Mateo V. (born 2010) and Walid H. (born 2009) from Pantin in Seine-Saint-Denis, were arrested shortly after by the Anti-Crime Brigade (BAC) of Meaux. Police recovered a fake handgun, plastic zip ties, and hoods from them. Four other accomplices remain at large. The investigation, led by the Central Directorate of Public Security, is focusing on a suspected crypto ransom motive.
Recent Home Invasion Involving Fake Police
This attempted kidnapping comes just months after another serious incident in March 2026, when a French couple in Le Chesnay (Yvelines department, west of Paris) was robbed of approximately €900,000 in Bitcoin during a violent home invasion.
Three suspects posing as police officers forced their way into the couple’s home. They threatened the 59-year-old woman with a knife, demanding her 58-year-old husband transfer cryptocurrency. Under duress, the husband complied and sent Bitcoin worth €900,000. The attackers tied up the husband before fleeing in a white van. The wife later untied him and sought help from neighbors. She sustained a minor shoulder injury and was hospitalized. The case is being investigated by the Brigade de Répression du Banditisme (BRB) on charges including sequestration, armed theft by an organized gang, and criminal association. No arrests have been made so far.
Major Crypto Laundering Conviction
Meanwhile, in the United States, a French national with ties to the luxury Cartier family was sentenced to eight years in prison in late April 2026 for his role in a massive crypto laundering operation.
Maximilien de Hoop Cartier, 58, was convicted of operating an unlicensed cryptocurrency exchange that laundered more than $470 million in criminal proceeds, including drug trafficking money. He used a network of shell companies, forged documents, and fake invoices to move funds from the US to Colombia and other countries. In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to forfeit over $2.3 million in commissions earned from the scheme.
Worrying Trend Across France and Europe
These incidents underscore a sharp rise in crypto-related crimes in France. According to the National Directorate of Judicial Police, 41 kidnappings or sequestrations linked to the crypto sector have been recorded since the beginning of 2026, bringing the total to 135 cases since 2023. France now accounts for nearly 80% of such incidents in Europe.
Authorities have announced new preventive measures, including a dedicated support platform discussed during Paris Blockchain Week 2026. High-profile figures in the blockchain and Web3 space, including visible executives like Sébastien Borget, appear increasingly vulnerable to home invasions, kidnappings, and ransom demands.
Currently he is the COO of The Sandbox and chair of the Blockchain Game Alliance. While Borget remains one of the most prominent figures in the blockchain gaming space, his family has not made any public statement regarding the incident.
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