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Five arrested in Spain for kidnapping, killing man in plot to steal his crypto assets

Police say the victim and his partner were held for hours while attackers tried to access their digital wallets, in a case highlighting a surge in crypto-linked abductions worldwide.

Spanish police said on Wednesday they have arrested five people over the kidnapping and murder of a man targeted for his cryptocurrency holdings, while another four suspects have been charged in Denmark in connection with the same plot.

The victim and his partner were attacked in April in southern Spain.

Police said the man was shot in the leg as he attempted to flee before both were forced into a house, where they were held for several hours while the assailants tried to break into their crypto wallets. The woman was released around midnight and reported the abduction; officers later found her partner’s body in a wooded area in Mijas, in the province of Malaga.

Searches of properties in Madrid and Malaga uncovered pistols, clothing stained with blood, and other evidence tied to the crime, police said. Authorities did not specify when the arrests were made.

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Danish prosecutors have charged four additional suspects—two of whom were already serving prison sentences for similar offences—suggesting the operation had international links.

Police and security experts say kidnappings tied to digital-asset theft have risen sharply alongside the growth of the crypto sector.

High-profile cases in Europe this year have underscored the trend. In January, French crypto entrepreneur David Balland and his partner were abducted, with Balland having a finger cut off before being released the following day. And in May, attackers in Paris attempted to kidnap the daughter and grandson of the CEO of the Paymium crypto exchange.

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