The wife of The Sandbox co-founder Sebastien Borget was targeted in a failed kidnapping attempt at the couple’s home in Villenoy, France, according to French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche.
Summary
- Borget’s wife escaped injury after neighbors disrupted a reported kidnapping attempt at their Villenoy home.
- JDD says two suspects were arrested, while four others remain wanted by French investigators now.
- France has logged 41 crypto-linked abductions since January, raising national security fears.
The reported attack took place on Tuesday, May 20, at the couple’s home on Rue Sadi-Carnot in Villenoy, Seine-et-Marne. Borget is the co-founder and chief operating officer of The Sandbox, a metaverse platform linked to NFTs and the SAND token. Le Journal du Dimanche said his wife was not injured.
According to the French newspaper, one suspect arrived at the property dressed as a delivery worker. He wore a vest and carried a cardboard box. When Borget’s wife opened the gate, five hooded accomplices entered the courtyard. The group then dragged her and tried to force her into a Citroën C3.
Neighbors stop reported abduction
The attempt failed after neighbors heard the victim’s cries and stepped in. Their action forced the group to leave the scene before they could take her from the property.
Four suspects escaped in the vehicle, while two others fled on foot. Le Journal du Dimanche reported that the two later ordered a ride-hail car. Officers from the Meaux Anti-Crime Brigade stopped that vehicle shortly afterward.
Additionally, the two arrested suspects were identified by Le Journal du Dimanche as Mateo V., born in 2010, and Walid H., born in 2009. Both are residents of Pantin in Seine-Saint-Denis.
Police found a bag containing a fake handgun, zip-tie restraints, and balaclavas, according to the report. Four other suspects remained at large at the time of the report. The case has been handed to the central security directorate.
Crypto motive under review
Le Journal du Dimanche said early evidence suggested the attempted kidnapping “would be linked to cryptocurrencies.” The wording leaves the motive under investigation, but the case adds to growing concern around physical attacks on crypto-linked people in France.
Related coverage said French authorities had recorded 41 crypto-linked abductions since the start of 2026. That equals about one case every two and a half days. The same report said officials had prepared emergency protocols and a prevention platform to protect digital asset holders.
As previously reported by crypto.news, France has also been dealing with a wider rise in wrench attacks. These crimes involve physical threats or violence used to force victims to transfer crypto assets. Prosecutors charged at least 88 people in April over alleged attacks targeting crypto owners, including ten minors.
Authorities said 75 suspects remained in pre-trial detention as 12 investigations continued in Paris. Prosecutors also warned crypto holders and their relatives to avoid online overexposure, which can make them easier targets for criminal groups.