A crypto investor is charged with kidnapping and torturing a man in an NYC apartment for weeks
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NEW YORK (AP) — A cryptocurrency investor has been detained and accused of abducting a man, confining him for weeks in a luxury apartment in Manhattan. Authorities report that during this time, the individual was physically assaulted, subjected to electric shocks, and terrorized into believing his family’s safety was at risk unless he revealed his Bitcoin password.

John Woeltz, aged 37, was taken into custody Friday evening after the victim managed to flee the lavish eight-bedroom townhouse and sought assistance from a traffic officer on the street, as stated by prosecutors.

Woeltz faced charges of kidnapping, assault, unlawful imprisonment, and illegal firearm possession during his arraignment on Saturday, court records reveal. He was held without the option of bail, as confirmed by a representative from the Manhattan district attorney’s office on Saturday.

His lawyer, Wayne Gosnell, said Saturday in an email that he had no comment.

The 28-year-old victim arrived in New York City from Italy in early May, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing investigation and did so on condition of anonymity.

It’s not clear how or if the two knew each other, but the district attorney’s office said in an email that prosecutor Michael Mattson told a judge Saturday that the victim, whose name has not been released, was abducted on May 6.

Mattson said others were involved in the scheme to empty the victim’s Bitcoin wallet. That includes a person referred to in court records as an “unapprehended male.”

The victim said he was bound by the wrists and tortured for weeks inside the apartment. His captors, according to prosecutors, drugged him, used electric wires to shock him, hit him in the head with a firearm and, at one point, carried him to the top of a flight of stairs where they dangled him over a ledge and threatened to kill him if he didn’t share his Bitcoin password.

Believing that he was about to be shot, the victim was able to escape Friday after telling Woeltz that he would give up his password, which was stored on his laptop in another room. When the suspect turned his back, Mattson said, the victim ran out of the apartment.

The victim was taken to a hospital and treated for injuries that Mattson said were consistent with his descriptions of being bound and assaulted.

A search of the town house turned up a trove of evidence, Mattson said, including cocaine, a saw, chicken wire, body armor and night vision goggles, ammunition and polaroid photos of the victim with a gun pointed to his head.

Woeltz was ordered Saturday to surrender his passport. Prosecutors said he has the means to flee, including a private jet and a helicopter. He is due back in Manhattan criminal court next week.

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Yamat reported from Las Vegas. Associated Press writers Susan Haigh in Hartford, Connecticut, and Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, contributed to this report.

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