The Sandbox Co-Founder's Wife Faces Failed Kidnapping Attempt in France, Police Say Incident May Be Linked to Cryptocurrency

May 21, per French outlet Le Journal du Dimanche, Sebastien Borget—co-founder and COO of The Sandbox—was the victim of a botched kidnapping attempt this week at his family’s home in Villenoy, a town in France’s Seine-et-Marne region, the outlet reports. According to the account, a man posing as a delivery worker arrived at the couple’s door. When Borget’s wife opened it, five masked accomplices rushed into the yard, trying to force her into a waiting vehicle. Neighbors responding to her screams for help intervened, making the suspects flee the scene. Two suspects have been arrested so far, while four others remain at large. Law enforcement found fake guns, handcuffs, and balaclavas on the detained individuals. French authorities’ initial investigation points to a link between the incident and cryptocurrency-related activity. The report notes that France has logged 41 cryptocurrency-linked kidnapping or attempted kidnapping cases this year, bringing the total number of such incidents in the country to 135 since 2023—nearly 80% of all similar cases across Europe.