SoHo Crypto Investor Accused in Shocking Kidnapping Plot to Steal Bitcoin
By Ben Feuerherd, Gothamist
Published May 24, 2025
A cryptocurrency investor based in SoHo has been accused of orchestrating a disturbing kidnapping and torture scheme aimed at extracting Bitcoin from a victim over a prolonged period. The allegations emerged from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office following the arrest of 37-year-old John Woeltz.
Woeltz was taken into custody on Friday after the 28-year-old victim managed to escape from his residence on Prince Street and alert an NYPD traffic agent about the dire situation he had endured. An NYPD spokesperson confirmed the account of the victim’s escape and subsequent report.
The circumstances surrounding the case unfolded on May 6, as detailed in the criminal complaint filed against Woeltz. The victim had reportedly gone to Woeltz’s home to meet with him and another unidentified man. Upon his arrival, both men allegedly seized the victim’s personal belongings, including his electronics and passport, insisting that he provide them with the password to his Bitcoin wallet.
When the victim refused, prosecutors allege that the situation escalated violently. According to the complaint, Woeltz and his accomplice subjected the victim to severe physical abuse, employing a handgun to beat him, threatening him with the weapon, and even using an electrical wire to inflict shock. The men reportedly bound the victim’s wrists, and at one point, they dragged him to the top of a flight of stairs, threatening to kill him while dangling him over the edge.
The intimidation tactics did not stop there, as Woeltz and his accomplice allegedly threatened to harm the victim’s family if he did not comply with their demands for the Bitcoin wallet password.
As a result of these alleged acts, Woeltz faces multiple charges, including kidnapping, assault, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a weapon. Following his arrest, a judge ordered him to be held in custody pending trial.
Law enforcement authorities continue to pursue the unidentified accomplice who is believed to have participated in the torture of the victim.
This harrowing case underscores the potential dangers inherent in cryptocurrency investments and the lengths to which individuals may go to steal valuable digital assets.
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Tags: public safety, Manhattan
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