Crypto kidnapping: William Duplessie, John Woeltz 'Kentucky crypto king' surrender in torture of business partner in NYC apartment
Share this @internewscast.com

NEW YORK — A second crypto suspect has surrendered for the alleged torture of an Italian businessman in New York, police said Tuesday.

The suspect, William Duplessie, surrendered to detectives at the 13th precinct at 7:45 a.m.

Duplessie is expected to face charges of kidnapping, assault and unlawful imprisonment.

The first suspect, John Woeltz, was held without bail when he was arraigned Saturday morning, and forced to surrender his passport.

He has been charged with assault, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a firearm.

His next court date is scheduled for May 28.

Authorities apprehended and charged two individuals, one being Woeltz, regarding the incident at a SoHo apartment on Friday. It has been reported that Woeltz resided at the location on Prince Street.

Another suspect, a female, was also arrested but was not charged.

According to the police, the apartment on Prince Street became a gruesome site after a group allegedly enticed a former business associate back from Italy in order to obtain a password for his cryptocurrency account, subsequently detaining and tormenting him for several weeks.

Woeltz, who is involved in the cryptocurrency sector, was arrested barefoot and in a bathrobe on Friday, following the 28-year-old victim’s successful escape that morning, during which he sought assistance from a traffic officer.

Police descended on the opulent brownstone on Prince Street as detectives tried to make sense of the depraved story they heard from the victim, who said he’d been held captive for weeks.

The 28-year-old victim told police he arrived from Italy on May 6 and went to the home on Prince Street.

He told detectives they had taken his passport and tortured him for the last two weeks.

Police said the group was looking to extort him for millions in crypto after luring him back from Italy.

Investigators said they tied him up with electrical cords and tortured him with electrocutions and other types of shock treatment.

They also allegedly tased him with his feet in water, pistol-whipped him, and threatened to cut his limbs off with an electric chainsaw.

Police said they took Polaroids of themselves torturing him, one showing him bound to a chair with a gun to his head. The Polaroids were likely to extort money, either from the victim or his family back in Italy.

They also allegedly forced him to take drugs, like cocaine, and used other psychological torture, telling him he would never escape. They also allegedly put an AirTag around his neck to know where he was in the building, where he had limited mobility.

Police said the victim saw his opportunity to escape Friday morning because the men allegedly indicated it would be his death day.

When police arrived, they found one resident in an upstairs bathroom, wearing a bathrobe. They took him into custody and are looking for several others who were living in the house.

“I saw the SWAT team with shields and then shortly after that, I saw a guy in handcuffs come out,” said Jennifer Crawford, an eyewitness to the arrest.

A man from Italy said a crypto entrepreneur took his passport and held him captive.

“The guy comes out in a white bathrobe and cuffed behind his back gets into a police car,” said eyewitness Ciaran Tully.

Police said the inside of the house was trashed with broken glass, helmets, night vision goggles, and a bulletproof vest in plain sight. Investigators found a saw, crack cocaine, blood, bullets, and a gun, along with Polaroids of the victim with a gun to his head.

Police then found a gun and requested a search warrant for a more detailed search.

The victim sustained numerous cuts on his body from the torture, including one believed to be from the chainsaw, and is being treated at Bellevue Hospital, police said.

Police said the 8-bedroom, 10 bathroom home was rented for $30,000 to $40,000 a month. It sits back from the sidewalk on the busy block of Prince Street in SoHo.

It was rented just a couple of months ago, with the most recent listing price at $75,000 per month.

Detectives are interviewing two butlers who were at the home and worked for the suspect.

Sidewalk vendor Ciaran Tully has been watching that house for months and said something has been off; he just never knew what.

“I’ve seen people go in and out all the time, and never really ever saw the same person twice. So we were wondering like, what was going on in there?” Tully said.

The investigation is ongoing.

Copyright © 2025 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
City manager 'begged' fired Cincinnati police chief for more officers on street as crime skyrocketed

City Manager Urgently Requested Additional Officers from Dismissed Cincinnati Police Chief Amid Rising Crime Rates

Cincinnati’s former police chief, Teresa Theetge, who previously faced a lawsuit from…
California voter ID initiative heads to November ballot

California’s Voter ID Proposal Set for Decision in November Election

A proposed measure aiming to strengthen voter identification and citizenship verification for…
Trump calls for 2020 presidential election to be 'permanently wiped from the books' if Southern Poverty Law Center convicted of fraud

Trump Urges Erasure of 2020 Election Results Amid Controversy Involving Southern Poverty Law Center

On Friday, former President Trump suggested that the 2020 election should be…
Forensic genealogy unmasks cold case suspect as strangler, sexual predator decades later: officials

Breakthrough in Cold Case: Forensic Genealogy Identifies Decades-Old Strangler and Sexual Predator

Decades after DNA evidence emerged in two chilling Massachusetts cases—a murder in…
Extra large pizza fest serves up slices from 40 different spots in LA this weekend

Indulge in LA’s Ultimate Pizza Extravaganza: 40 Pizzerias Unite for an Epic Slice Fest!

This weekend, downtown Los Angeles will transform into a pizza lover’s paradise…
Spencer Pratt blasts LA's $40M MacArthur Park plan

Spencer Pratt Criticizes LA’s $40M Investment in MacArthur Park Redevelopment

Amidst plans to inject $40 million into revitalizing Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park,…
Redding police warn of high school water gun 'assassin' game

Redding Police Issue Advisory on High School Water Gun ‘Assassin’ Game

As graduation season draws near, a beloved high school tradition is once…
2026 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears select Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman with 25th overall pick in Round 1

Chicago Bears Make Strategic Move: Draft Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman as 25th Pick in 2026 NFL Draft

In an exciting turn of events during the 2026 NFL Draft on…
Benjamin Netanyahu reveals he was treated for early-stage prostate cancer

Breaking: Benjamin Netanyahu Opens Up About Early-Stage Prostate Cancer Diagnosis – What It Means for His Leadership

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently disclosed that he had received treatment…
Simple act can lower risk of early death by 45%: new study

Discover the Simple Habit That Could Slash Your Risk of Early Death by 45%

Participating in elections might just be your ticket to both civic responsibility…
Former North Carolina police officer arrested for allegedly planning mass shooting at New Orleans festival

Ex-North Carolina Police Officer Detained for Suspected Plot to Stage Mass Shooting at New Orleans Festival

A former police officer from North Carolina has been apprehended in Florida…
Trump Extends Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire 3 Weeks After Landmark White House Talks

Trump Prolongs Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire Following Pivotal White House Discussions Three Weeks Ago

On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced an extension of the ceasefire between…