NEW YORK, May 28 – A U.S. cryptocurrency investor has been charged with kidnapping and torturing an Italian tourist inside a luxury Manhattan townhouse, authorities said on Saturday, in a case that has drawn attention for its ties to digital currency and allegations of prolonged physical abuse.
John Woeltz, 37, was arraigned in New York Criminal Court on charges including kidnapping for ransom, unlawful imprisonment, and assault, according to court records. A second suspect, 24-year-old Beatrice Folchi, was also arrested in connection with the case, U.S. media reported.
The 28-year-old victim, who has not been publicly identified, told police he arrived in New York from Italy on May 6 and was held captive for weeks in a rented SoHo townhouse. According to a criminal complaint cited by ABC News, Woeltz and another individual allegedly beat the man and dangled him from a ledge after he refused to provide his bitcoin password.
Police said the victim managed to escape the property on Friday morning and was later hospitalized in stable condition. Officers reportedly recovered Polaroid photos showing the man bound and tortured, along with firearms inside the residence.
Woeltz, originally from Kentucky, had been renting the townhouse for between $30,000 and $40,000 per month, CBS News reported. The luxury unit is located in Manhattan’s upscale SoHo neighborhood.
The New York Police Department and Manhattan District Attorney’s Office have not yet commented on the arrests. Efforts to reach Woeltz’s legal counsel were unsuccessful.
The case highlights growing concerns around crimes involving digital assets and high-net-worth individuals in the crypto sector. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
