France is facing a disturbing trend. The country is increasingly becoming Europe’s epicenter of so-called crypto-wrench attacks — violent home invasions where the target is not a bank, but private cryptocurrency keys. The latest case from the south of the country shows just how dangerous this phenomenon is becoming.

On Monday evening, three masked attackers broke into a family home in the town of Manosque, located in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region. Inside, they assaulted a woman, threatened her with a handgun, physically attacked her, and tied her up in order to obtain a single target: a USB drive containing cryptocurrency data belonging to her partner.

Weapon, Violence, and a Rapid Escape

According to available information, the attackers did not hesitate to use brute force. They slapped the woman, intimidated her with a firearm, and fled immediately after securing the USB drive. Fortunately, the victim did not suffer serious injuries, managed to free herself within minutes, and contacted the police.

The case is now being investigated by specialized units of the criminal police. The investigation comes at a time when similar attacks are rapidly increasing across France.

France as a Hub of Crypto-Related Violence

According to publicly tracked databases, more than 70 violent attacks targeting cryptocurrency holders have been recorded worldwide. Over 14 of these incidents occurred in France, making it the most dangerous European country in this category.

Experts warn that a combination of several factors creates an ideal environment for this type of crime:

🔹 High overall crime rates

🔹 A visible concentration of cryptocurrency wealth

🔹 Growing knowledge of digital assets among criminal groups

🔹 Easy identification of targets through public information

Cryptocurrencies are particularly attractive to criminals because they allow the instant transfer of large sums across borders, operate 24/7, and are often perceived as harder to trace than traditional financial systems.

Shocking Revelation: The State as a Source of Information for Criminals?

The case unfolds in an exceptionally sensitive context. It recently emerged that a French tax official has been charged with abusing access to government databases.

According to investigators, she allegedly searched for addresses, income details, and family information of individuals outside her professional responsibilities and passed this data on to criminal groups. In at least one case, this activity is believed to have preceded a violent home invasion.

The court concluded that her actions could not be justified by her job duties, which were strictly limited to corporate taxation.

A New Reality for Crypto Holders

The Manosque case reveals a harsh reality:

The greatest threat to cryptocurrency investors is no longer hackers, but physical violence.

Crypto-wrench attacks are reshaping security paradigms and forcing investors to reconsider how and where they store their digital assets. USB drives, hardware wallets, and public visibility of wealth are becoming potential liabilities — especially in environments where sensitive information can fall into the wrong hands.

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