Wife of Sandbox Co-founder Targeted in Kidnap Attempt

The wife of Sébastien Borget, co-founder and chief operating officer of The Sandbox, was the target of a failed kidnapping attempt this week at the family residence in Villenoy, Seine‑et‑Marne. One person approached the house carrying a cardboard box and posed as a delivery worker. When she opened the gate, five accomplices rushed into the courtyard and tried to force her into a Citroën C3. Neighbors intervened and the assailants abandoned the effort.

Two teenagers were detained at the scene and identified by authorities as Mateo V., born in 2010, and Walid H., born in 2009, both from Pantin in Seine‑Saint‑Denis. Police reported they found a fake handgun, zip‑tie restraints and balaclavas with the suspects. Four other people believed to have taken part in the operation remain under investigation and have not been located.

On social media, Borget wrote he was “truly touched” by messages of support and thanked people for the “outpouring of love, thoughtful messages, and deeply caring words for my family.”

French authorities say the incident is part of a broader pattern of attacks on cryptocurrency holders. The national judicial police recorded 41 crypto‑linked kidnapping attempts since the start of the year and 135 since 2023. Investigations into the wave of attacks have resulted in charges against 88 people across 12 active judicial inquiries; about 75 suspects have been placed in pretrial detention and more than ten of those charged are minors.

Officials have introduced preventive measures, including a government prevention platform and enhanced security for selected cryptocurrency business leaders and their families. Specialized magistrates are handling the ongoing inquiries.

The inquiry into the Villenoy incident remains open as investigators continue to search for the remaining suspects and work to determine the motive and the organization behind the plot.