Judge denies bail to crypto investor charged with kidnapping and torturing man in posh NYC townhouse
Share this @internewscast.com

NEW YORK (AP) — A cryptocurrency investor faces a grand jury indictment for allegedly kidnapping and torturing a man over several weeks in a luxury Manhattan townhouse, intending to obtain the victim’s Bitcoin.

John Woeltz, 37, has been jailed since his arrest Friday outside the luxury rental, where an Italian national told police he was severely beaten, drugged, shocked with electrical wires and dangled over a ledge by captors seeking the password to his digital assets.

Woeltz’s alleged accomplice, William Duplessie, surrendered to police Tuesday and is awaiting his own indictment.

At the hearing Thursday, an attorney for Woeltz requested his client be released on a $2 million bond, citing his lack of criminal record, philosophy degree and professional accomplishments.

“He’s been very successful in the technology world,” the attorney, Wayne Gosnell, told a Manhattan judge, adding that his client “has every intention to fight this case.”

The judge denied bail for Woeltz, who did not appear in court.

Gosnell also requested that Woeltz not be required to turn over firearms that he legally owns in Kentucky. And he disputed the prosecutor’s earlier claims that his client owned a private jet and helicopter.

“He has no means to flee,” Gosnell said.

Woeltz has described himself in interviews as a blockchain investor who spent time in Silicon Valley before returning to Kentucky’s burgeoning crypto-mining industry.

Authorities have said Woeltz and Duplessie, another cryptocurrency investor, knew the victim personally.

On May 6, they lured the man — whose name has not been released by officials — to a posh townhouse in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood, one of the city’s most expensive, by threatening to kill his family.

The man said he was then held captive for 17 days, as the two investors tormented him with electrical wires, forced him to smoke from a crack pipe and at one point dangled him from a staircase five stories high.

He eventually agreed to hand over his computer password Friday morning, then managed to flee the home as his captors went to retrieve the device. The victim made it onto the street, bloodied and shoeless, according to police.

A search of the townhouse turned up cocaine, a saw, chicken wire, body armor, night vision goggles, ammunition and polaroid photos of the victim with a gun pointed to his head, according to prosecutors.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Packers-Bears game today: Chicago Bears face Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field with NFC North lead in the balance

Epic NFC North Showdown: Bears Battle Packers at Lambeau for Division Supremacy Today

The NFC North division is heating up as the Chicago Bears, with…
Chicago crime: $1,000 reward offered after Jermaine Martin killed in Gage Park hit-and-run on South Kedzie Avenue, officials say

Reward Announced Following Fatal Hit-and-Run Incident Involving Jermaine Martin in Gage Park, Chicago Authorities Confirm

A reward of $1,000 is now being offered to help crack a…
NYC schools chief Aviles-Ramos, with union and parent support, makes a case for Mamdani to keep her on

NYC Schools Chancellor Aviles-Ramos Gains Union and Parent Backing in Effort to Secure Support from Assembly Member Mamdani

New York City Public Schools Chancellor, Melissa Aviles-Ramos, made her case on…
Pearl Harbor remembrance ceremony marks 84 years since attack

Commemorating 84 Years: Pearl Harbor Remembrance Ceremony Honors Heroes of History

The remembrance ceremony for Pearl Harbor commenced on Sunday in Hawaii with…
Martha Moxley case: Kennedy cousin breaks silence on troubled upbringing, arrest warrant in murder mystery

Kennedy Cousin Reveals Shocking Truths in Martha Moxley Murder Mystery: Uncovering a Troubled Past and Arrest Warrant

Five decades have passed since the tragic murder of Martha Moxley, a…
Toddler fatally struck by pickup truck driver in Long Island driveway

Tragic Accident: Toddler Struck by Pickup Truck in Long Island Driveway

Tragedy struck on Long Island as a toddler was fatally hit by…
Taiwan unveils $40B defense spending plan to counter China military threat over next decade

Taiwan Announces $40 Billion Defense Strategy to Strengthen Military Against Growing China Threat Over Next Decade

KAOHSIUNG: In a bold move last week, Taiwan’s President William Lai introduced…
Deputy ICE Dir. Has a Damning Question for Voters After Another Democrat 'Interferes' With Agents

Ex-ICE Deputy Challenges Voters: Unmasking Political Interference in Immigration Enforcement

The deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is posing a…
Ukraine arrests British suspect who allegedly aided Russia’s FSB in assassination plan

Ukraine Detains British National Accused of Assisting Russia’s FSB in Alleged Assassination Plot

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has apprehended a British citizen, Ross…
Neptune Beach mayor defends $5 hourly nonresident parking rate for Beaches Town Center

Why Neptune Beach’s $5 Parking Fee for Nonresidents is Sparking Debate at Beaches Town Center

Neptune Beach is ushering in a new era of parking, following the…
Chipotle and BÉIS launch burrito themed travel collection

Chipotle and BÉIS Unveil Exclusive Burrito-Themed Travel Collection: A Must-Have for Foodie Travelers

Launching on December 8th, a new 11-piece line co-designed by actress Shay…
Chechen leader threatens Zelenskyy amid drone strike, echoes alleged assassination plot

Chechen Leader Escalates Tensions with Zelenskyy Amid Drone Strike Allegations and Assassination Plot Rumors

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov’s recent warnings to Ukraine, following a drone attack,…