The world of cryptocurrency has struggled in recent years to shed its association with criminal behavior, and events that have unfolded this year paint a grim picture of some individuals involved in digital coins.
Across multiple states, two men — William Duplessie, 33, and John Woeltz, 37 — kidnapped, tortured, and killed individuals in an attempt to steal their bitcoin. Duplessie, according to The Wall Street Journal, was a crypto investor, while Woeltz, worked as a cryptology and cybersecurity specialist. The two shared an interest in getting rich, and saw crypto, and later violence as a means to secure their dream of wealth and elite status. Woeltz was also reportedly considering a run for Senate to replace Senator Mitch McConnell, who has confirmed that he will not seek re-election.
The pair’s trail of horrifying crimes
One victim, Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, an Italian national, managed to escape after being held captive for nearly five weeks in a SoHo townhouse. Laywers for the two men argue that Carturan stayed with them willingly, but the prosecutors accuse them of torturing him in an attempt to get him to hand over the passwords necessary for them to steal his bitcoin.
Investigators later uncovered another victim, Michael Mauer, who was killed by the pair. According to The Wall Street Journal, Duplessie and Woeltz bragged about the murder at a drug-fueled party they hosted in Kentucky, attended by fashion models and wealthy guests. The event took place a few months before their arrest, and some attendees told reporters they weren’t sure whether the hosts were joking or serious when they spoke about kidnapping and killing a European man for his cryptocurrency. The high levels of drug use and erratic behavior at the party did little to inspire confidence in their claims.
Mauer was connected to his killers, having worked with Woeltz on an event called Grincoin 2020. Mauer was a tourist visiting the U.S. from Switzerland. Although his mother reported him missing and shared messages with the hotel clerk where he had begun his journey, police failed to respond in time. Mauer had traveled to meet his former co-worker, unaware that it was a trap to steal his bitcoin. While his mother’s efforts couldn’t save his life, she did provide Woeltz’s first name to authorities, helping to expedite the investigation.
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A judge set bail for Duplessie and Woeltz at $1 million each, and has required both alleged perpetrators of turning over their passports.
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