According to reports, several masked suspects posing as delivery workers attempted to abduct her before neighbors intervened and forced the attackers to flee. Two teenage suspects were later arrested by police and found carrying a fake handgun, zip ties, and balaclavas.
France Sees Another Crypto Kidnapping Attempt
There has been a kidnapping attempt targeting the wife of Sébastien Borget, co-founder and chief operating officer of The Sandbox. The incident reportedly took place at the couple’s residence in Villenoy, located in the Seine-et-Marne region, and authorities believe the attack may have been connected to the family’s involvement in the crypto industry.
According to reports from French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche, the attack began when a man disguised as a delivery worker approached the property wearing a branded vest and carrying a cardboard package. When Borget’s wife opened the gate, several hooded individuals allegedly rushed into the courtyard and attempted to forcefully abduct her. The attackers reportedly tried to drag her into a waiting vehicle while she screamed for help.
Sébastien Borget
The attempted kidnapping was ultimately disrupted by neighbors who heard the victim’s cries and intervened. Their actions forced the suspects to abandon the operation and flee the scene. Reports indicate that four of the suspects escaped in a vehicle, while two others fled on foot and tried to evade authorities by hiding nearby before calling a ride-hailing service.
Police from the Meaux Anti-Crime Brigade later intercepted the second vehicle and arrested two suspects connected to the incident. The individuals were identified as teenagers born in 2009 and 2010 from Pantin, a suburb in Seine-Saint-Denis.
Authorities reportedly discovered a fake handgun, zip-tie restraints, and balaclavas in their possession. France’s central security directorate has since taken over the investigation.
Borget is widely known in the blockchain industry as one of the leading figures behind The Sandbox, an Ethereum-based virtual world platform that allows users to create, own, and monetize gaming experiences using NFTs and the platform’s native SAND token. The company became one of the most recognized names in the metaverse sector during the crypto boom, and attracted major partnerships with global brands, celebrities, and gaming companies.
(Source: Certik)
French authorities recorded a sharp increase in crypto-related kidnappings and abduction attempts over the past few years. According to the report, 41 kidnappings or attempted abductions tied to cryptocurrencies have already been documented in France since the beginning of 2026. Since 2023, authorities have reportedly recorded 135 such incidents in the country.
