In a plot twist straight out of a Hollywood movie, a court in Belgium has sentenced three individuals to 12 years in prison for kidnapping the wife of a local cryptocurrency entrepreneur.
The case, which has left the crypto community scratching their heads and the legal community rubbing their hands with glee, involved a ransom demand made in digital assets. Yes, you heard that right – digital assets! 😲
Court Ruling and Ongoing Investigations
The Brussels Criminal Court found the trio guilty of hostage-taking after abducting the victim outside her residence and forcing her into a van. The kidnappers reportedly demanded a crypto ransom in exchange for her release.
But wait, there’s more! The victim’s husband, Stéphane Winkel, a known figure in the local crypto education scene, alerted law enforcement, who then executed a high-risk maneuver to free the victim and apprehend the suspects. 🚔
In addition to the prison terms, the court ordered the convicted individuals to pay a civil compensation of at least €1 million (approximately $1.2 million) to the victim. While the sentences mark the legal conclusion for the three kidnappers, the case remains open in some respects.
The court acknowledged that the principal figures behind the orchestration of the crime are still unknown. The defendants’ claims that they were acting under duress, allegedly threatened with death if they did not carry out the kidnapping, were dismissed by the court.
The case also involves a minor, whose role is being addressed separately through Belgium’s juvenile justice system. According to reports from La Dernière Heure, the court emphasized the seriousness of the offense and the need to maintain deterrence, particularly in criminal activities intersecting with emerging financial sectors like crypto.
The victim and her family have not been named in detail in court documents to protect their privacy, but the psychological toll has reportedly been substantial.
The Effect on Winkel Family and Crypto Community
Stéphane Winkel is known for his educational efforts within the cryptocurrency space. He runs platforms such as Crypto Académie and Crypto Sun, which aim to make digital asset investing more accessible to the public.
His YouTube channel, which has roughly over 39,000 subscribers, typically featured tutorials, giveaways, and wallet walkthroughs. However, the traumatic incident has prompted a shift in both his personal and public life.
In a post on X published shortly after the incident, Winkel stated, “I consider myself a defender of freedom, but I now realize that safety must become an absolute priority for me and those around me.”
He also pledged to avoid public wallet demonstrations or promotional giveaways going forward, instead focusing his content on market analysis and education.
After several months of silence, Winkel returned to YouTube in June 2025, opting for voice-only narration in his videos rather than appearing on camera, a move that aligns with his new emphasis on privacy and security.
Featured image created with DALL-E, Chart from TradingView
Read More
- SOL PREDICTION. SOL cryptocurrency
- ETH PREDICTION. ETH cryptocurrency
- USD TRY PREDICTION
- EUR ILS PREDICTION
- ETH CAD PREDICTION. ETH cryptocurrency
- XRP CAD PREDICTION. XRP cryptocurrency
- BNB PREDICTION. BNB cryptocurrency
- EUR ZAR PREDICTION
- USD MYR PREDICTION
- EUR CNY PREDICTION
2025-07-05 11:59