Fake police steal €900K in Bitcoin from couple near Versailles

French authorities have launched a manhunt after three men posing as police forced a couple in their late 50s to transfer about €900,000 ($1 million) in Bitcoin during a home invasion in Le Chesnay, near Versailles.

According to investigators, the assailants identified themselves as police to gain entry, then pulled a knife once inside. They threatened to stab the woman unless her partner sent Bitcoin to a wallet they controlled. The couple completed the transfer, and the attackers fled.

The Versailles public prosecutor’s office has confirmed the theft. The case has been assigned to the Brigade for the Repression of Banditry, a national unit focused on armed robberies and organized theft. No arrests have been announced. Potential charges under review include kidnapping, armed robbery, participation in an organized group, and criminal conspiracy. The investigation remains active.

Early findings indicate the intruders did not seize computers or phones. Instead, the victims were compelled to unlock access and authorize the cryptocurrency transaction. Because blockchain transfers are typically irreversible, funds can be difficult to recover once moved across multiple addresses.

The method matches a pattern of so-called wrench attacks, in which offenders use threats or violence to obtain digital assets rather than hacking systems. Investigators report that targets are often selected through visible signs of wealth, leaked data, or basic social engineering, with attacks frequently taking place at private residences.

In a separate recent incident in Verneuil-sur-Seine, armed intruders attacked a crypto investment executive and the family, restraining the couple and their two children before the family escaped and sought help from neighbors. Authorities have also opened cases involving ransom demands tied to cryptocurrency. Last May, police arrested 12 suspects linked to investigations into crypto-related kidnappings.

On February 12, 2026, the Binance France head was targeted in two attempted home invasions in the Paris region. Three masked suspects searched for him in Val-de-Marne, then tried again in Vaucresson, before being arrested later that day by the BRI at Lyon Perrache station after police traced stolen phones and reviewed footage. Authorities have been tracking a rise in “wrench attacks,” logging multiple 2025 cases, including a June kidnapping of a 23-year-old near Paris, and a February 2026 kidnapping tied to a crypto ransom demand.

Officials have not released the Le Chesnay victims’ identities or details about the suspects’ vehicle, clothing, or the Bitcoin address used in the theft. Investigators are tracing the funds on the blockchain and collecting surveillance footage and witness statements. Members of the public with information are asked to contact local police.

Authorities in the Versailles area intend to provide updates as the case progresses and urge residents to verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a police officer before allowing entry to a home.