A enterprise companion of a suspect charged with kidnapping and torturing an Italian man in a fancy New York Metropolis townhouse for weeks has surrendered to authorities and is anticipated to face prices, based on police.
William Duplessie surrendered, along with his attorneys, to the NYPD’s Main Case Squad Detectives unit. The attorneys declined remark. The custody alternate had been anticipated.
Duplessie’s alleged involvement within the case wasn’t instantly clear.
Officers say he’s a enterprise companion of John Woeltz. The 37-year-old Woeltz, recognized by some because the “crypto king of Kentucky,” allegedly held the person captive contained in the six-story Nolita townhome for greater than two weeks. He faces prices together with kidnapping, illegal imprisonment and assault, amongst others.
The sufferer, an Italian citizen, was one other enterprise companion of Woeltz and Duplessie, officers say. Investigators consider the connection among the many three males had been tumultuous previously, however got here to a head when the Italian arrived early within the month.
After arriving in NYC on Might 6, the sufferer was kidnapped and held contained in the townhouse on Prince Road. Woeltz and his enterprise companion allegedly took the sufferer’s passport and digital units, then demanded he give them his Bitcoin password. When the 28-year-old refused to conform, that is when the torture began, police stated.
He was certain by his wrists, pistol-whipped, had a gun held to his head, a chainsaw used on his leg, and urinated on. His captors additionally dangled him off the constructing and threatened his household.
After 17 days of torture alleged by the hands of the “Crypto King,” the sufferer managed to flee on Friday. Police stated they discovered him coated in cuts and bruises, with ligature marks on his wrists from being certain. Video obtained completely by NBC New York confirmed the sufferer, matted and shoeless, operating down Spring Road after breaking free, begging a site visitors cop for assist on the nook of Mulberry Road.
Whereas Woeltz was taken into custody, led out in handcuffs sporting a towel, detectives had been nonetheless looking for the opposite enterprise companion concerned.
A gun, which is believed to be the identical one used to inflict concern and ache on the sufferer, was discovered inside the house Monday morning, legislation enforcement sources with direct information of the state of affairs stated.
Authorities consider Woeltz is a big-name crypto -urrency dealer from Kentucky with an estimated value round $100 million; sources stated the sufferer is value an estimated $30 million. Woeltz had reportedly been renting out the Nolita residence at a month-to-month fee of a minimum of $30,000.
The posh six-story pad has an elevator and was described by sources as a “high-end frat house” with bottles of liquor strewn about and stripper poles within the basement. Neighbors stated they may hear loud partying in any respect hours of the evening, however they’d no concept of the alleged torture happening inside its partitions.
Woeltz was ordered held with out bond. His legal professional didn’t communicate to the media after arraignment on Saturday.
