Another suspect to surrender in NYC crypto torture case: Reports
A second person suspected of being involved in a high-profile crypto kidnapping case in New York City is expected to turn himself in to police, according to several reports.
The second man is a Swiss crypto investor who allegedly assisted business partner Joel Woeltz, who is accused of kidnapping Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan and torturing him in a Soho apartment in an attempt to pressure him into revealing his crypto wallet phrase, ABC7 New York reported on May 26.
A separate NBC report said the Swiss trader — who is not named — would turn himself over to police within a week. However, FOX5 New York reported that the man may already be in custody, citing conflicting sources.
The New York Post reported that the man is the co-founder of a Swiss trading firm.
Woeltz, known as the “crypto king of Kentucky,” is facing several charges, including kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment and assault. He allegedly held the victim at his apartment for 17 days.
Woeltz’s assistant, Italian-born Beatrice Folchi, was also arrested, however, she was freed, and no charges have been laid against her.
The arrests came after Teofrasto Carturan, aged 28 from Italy, managed to escape the apartment on May 23 — the day he had allegedly been told would be his “death day.”
CNN reported that Teofrasto Carturan agreed to give up his crypto seed phrase, which was stored on his laptop in another room, and as he went to get his laptop, Woeltz turned his back, allowing him to bolt to the exit.
Several New York news outlets shared videos of the victim running outside, barefoot, toward a traffic officer.
Sometime after, police arrested Woeltz at his Soho apartment and took him into custody.
He remains detained, and his next court date is set for May 28.
Alleged victim shares ordeal
Teofrasto Carturan claimed to police that he arrived from Italy on May 6 and went to the Soho apartment to meet his “business partners.”
Sometime later, he claimed his passport was token he was tortured to reveal his crypto seed phrase. NBC New York reported that Teofrasto Carturan has an estimated net worth of around $30 million.
Related: NYC Mayor doubles down on crypto push ahead of city summit
Police said Teofrasto Carturan was tied up with electrical cords and electrocuted. His feet were also tased while submerged in water and the alleged perpetrators held an electric chainsaw to his leg, threatening to cut off his limbs.
Police claimed they found a Polaroid of the alleged perpetrators torturing Teofrasto Carturan, one showing him bound to a chair with a gun to his head.
Teofrasto Carturan was also allegedly forced to smoke crack cocaine and was urinated on in the Soho apartment, described by NBC New York reporters as a “high-end frat house” with stripper poles and expensive liquor scattered throughout the five-story building.
Carturan spent some time being treated at a hospital after escaping, the New York Post said.
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The DOJ is reportedly considering lifting a three-year compliance monitor imposed under Binance’s $4.3 billion settlement.
The company’s chief legal officer urged federal officials to push Congress for certain provisions in a pending market structure bill to prevent what it called “state blue-sky laws.”
Politics
Setback to ‘one in, one out’ migrant scheme after man wins court bid to temporarily block removal
An Eritrean asylum seeker, who arrived in the UK on a small boat, will not be deported on Wednesday under the government’s “one in, one out” pilot scheme.
It comes after the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, won his High Court bid to have the removal temporarily blocked.
He had been due to be on a flight to France at 9am on Wednesday and brought a legal claim against the Home Office, asking the court for a block on his removal.
Lawyers acting on his behalf said the case “concerns a trafficking claim,” alleged he has a gunshot wound in his leg, and warned the High Court that the man could be left destitute if he was returned to France.
The Home Office defended the case, saying it was reasonable to expect the man to claim asylum in France when he first arrived there, before coming to the UK in August.
On Tuesday evening, Mr Justice Sheldon said: “I am going to grant a short period of interim relief.”
It came after a decision from the national referral mechanism (NRM) – which identifies and assesses victims of slavery and human trafficking – and the invitation from the NRM for the man to make further representations.
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Migrant deal with France has ‘started’
Explaining his ruling, Mr Justice Sheldon added that the “status quo is that the claimant is currently in this country and has not been removed”.
However, he added: “This matter should come back to this court as soon as is reasonably practical in light of the further representations that the claimant… will make on his trafficking decision.”
The ruling is a setback to the government’s plan to return such migrants, with the man due to be the first person deported under the UK and France’s “one in, one out” returns deal signed in July.
Read more: How UK-France migrant returns deal works
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UK-France migrant returns deal explained
That deal means the UK can send people back to France if they have entered the country illegally.
In exchange, the UK will allow asylum seekers to enter through a safe and legal route – as long as they have not previously tried to enter illegally.
It is a pilot scheme for now, in place until June 2026.
Read more from Sky News:
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In response to the ruling, shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that Labour’s returns deal “had failed to remove a single migrant, yet thousands more continue to arrive”.
The Conservative MP added that “the government must come clean on whether even one person has been sent to us from France in return”.
He then said he told Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood “that unless they disapply the Human Rights Act for immigration cases, this deal would collapse in court”.
“She refused, and here is the predictable result,” Mr Philip continued. “This is another failed gimmick from this weak government who seem think a press release is the same as action.”
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