What to KnowAn Italian man escaped from a home on Prince Avenue final week, the place he mentioned he had been held captive for 17 days and tortured by two enterprise companions; sources described the connection among the many three as complicated, with a “Wolf of Wall Street/frat guys gone wild” component to itThe so-called “crypto king of Kentucky,” John Woeltz, was arrested in his bathrobe exterior the scene; he’s anticipated in courtroom on kidnap and torture fees, amongst others, on Wednesday. A second suspect, William Duplessie, surrendered in reference to the case a day agoPolice discovered the sufferer coated in cuts and bruises, with ligature marks on his wrists. Video obtained solely by NBC New York exhibits the sufferer, matted and shoeless, working down Spring Avenue
A 37-year-old man, identified by some because the “crypto king of Kentucky,” is anticipated to seem in Manhattan courtroom Wednesday on fees he and a enterprise companion kidnapped and tortured an Italian man, holding him captive inside a complicated, six-story townhouse in Nolita for weeks in an try and get the person’s Bitcoin password.
John Woeltz additionally faces fees together with illegal imprisonment and assault. He was arrested in his bathrobe exterior the Prince Avenue dwelling the place he allegedly held the sufferer captive. Woeltz was held with out bond after his weekend arraignment, after which his legal professional didn’t converse to the media.
The sufferer, an Italian citizen, was one other enterprise companion of Woeltz and William Duplessie, who surrendered a day in the past to face fees within the case, officers say. Investigators imagine the connection among the many three males had been tumultuous prior to now, however got here to a head when the Italian arrived early within the month.
After arriving in New York Metropolis on Could 6, Woeltz and Duplessie allegedly took the sufferer’s passport and digital units, then demanded he give them his Bitcoin password. Police say the torture began when the 28-year-old refused to conform.
A second man is about to face a choose after his arrest in a stunning investigation involving cryptocurrency, kidnapping and torture. William Duplessie surrendered to the NYPD on Tuesday, accused of holding an Italian businessman hostage for weeks in an effort to realize entry to his Bitcoin accunt. NBC New York’s Marc Santia studies.
He was sure by his wrists, pistol-whipped, had a gun held to his head, a chainsaw used on his leg and was urinated on. His captors additionally dangled him over a staircase and threatened to kill his household, amongst different coercive measures.
Prosecutors mentioned the sufferer finally did give in, solely escaping when the lads went to search out his pc. After 17 days of alleged torture by the hands of the “crypto king,” the sufferer managed to get out final Friday.
Police mentioned they discovered him coated in cuts and bruises, with ligature marks on his wrists from being sure. Video obtained solely by NBC New York confirmed the sufferer, matted and shoeless, working down Spring Avenue after breaking free, begging a site visitors cop for assist on the nook of Mulberry Avenue.
Who’s John Woeltz?
Authorities imagine Woeltz is a big-name cryptocurrency dealer from Kentucky with an estimated value round $100 million; sources mentioned the sufferer is value an estimated $30 million. Woeltz had reportedly been renting out the Nolita residence at a month-to-month charge of at the very least $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 mentioned they might hear loud partying in any respect hours of the night time, however that they had no thought of the alleged torture happening inside its partitions.
