A couple living in France’s Somme region has faced three separate home invasions in under a month, after being wrongly targeted by criminals searching for €1 million worth of cryptocurrency that the victims did not possess. The attackers allegedly relied on leaked data connected to the property’s previous owners, who were associated with crypto investments.
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AAPLPersonal data leaks trigger physical attacks
The victims, identified as an agricultural worker and a banking executive, moved into a residence previously owned by wealthy retirees engaged with the cryptocurrency sector. Before the sale, the former owners’ tax records and address details were reportedly exposed in a data breach and later appeared for sale on the dark web, flagged as belonging to high-value crypto holders.
This set of outdated personal information was not updated after the property changed hands, leaving the new owners vulnerable to targeted attacks by criminals seeking access to their presumed cryptocurrency holdings.
In the initial attempted intrusion, the couple’s dogs interrupted the break-in, prompting the attackers to flee. Days later, a different group managed to enter the home, restrain and assault one of the residents, and even broadcast the incident on Snapchat before realizing their mistake. After this second attack, the couple installed a security alarm, which helped prevent a third break-in on July 17.
Judicial response and ongoing risks
French police quickly responded to the third incident, resulting in the arrest of two men aged 20 and 21. Prosecutors in Amiens charged both individuals for their roles in the failed break-in. One had been recruited via Telegram messaging to assist with the intrusion, and the court sentenced them to prison terms of three years and 18 months.
CertiK highlighted, “Criminals are increasingly exploiting leaked databases to combine names, addresses, tax documents, exchange details and blockchain activity, assembling comprehensive profiles of presumed crypto holders.”
CertiK, a blockchain security firm, identified this method as “data-driven targeting,” in which attackers merge multiple sources of leaked or stolen data—such as tax, exchange, and residential information—hoping to identify and victimize individuals believed to control significant digital assets. The team cautioned that using stale data can expose people to harm long after the original target moves away.
Mini dictionary: CertiK — a blockchain security company that conducts audits and monitors risks in the crypto industry, providing research on trends such as crypto-related physical attacks worldwide.
France emerges as a hotspot for physical crypto crime
Recent figures show a sharp uptick in violent crypto-targeted crimes across France. CertiK reported 52 confirmed cases of “crypto wrench attacks” during the first half of 2026, 33 of which occurred in France. In the same period, home invasions tied to crypto demands increased from one in the first half of 2025 to 20 this year. Total financial exposure from these attacks reached $124.1 million globally.
| Metric | H1 2025 | H1 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto wrench attacks (France) | 1 | 20 |
| Total global wrench attacks | Not specified | 52 |
| Total financial impact (worldwide) | Not specified | $124.1 million |
| Physical incidents in France (French authorities) | 45 | 77 |
French authorities, who use broader criteria, registered 77 crypto-related physical attacks in the first six months of 2026, up from 45 incidents during the same period last year.
The Somme couple, who have no cryptocurrency holdings, continues to face threats from criminals targeting the address based on outdated information. They are now reportedly seeking to sell their home in hopes of ending the ordeal.
