Kentucky Man Arrested for Alleged Kidnapping and Torture
A Kentucky individual, John Watts, has been taken into custody following accusations of imprisoning and torturing an Italian businessman in a New York City apartment back in May. Meanwhile, William Duplessie, son of a well-known hedge fund manager, might have been involved in another hostage situation during a rural drug-fueled rally in Kentucky, according to reports on Saturday.
In February, a group known as Crypto Associates allegedly drew in a fashion model as part of a social and business networking initiative, leading to the purchase of a $1.5 million mansion in Smithland, Kentucky. Reports indicate that they utilized a private jet to host guests at an extravagant party, which quickly descended into chaos.
Guests mentioned that Duplessie and another man, both under the influence of cocaine, claimed to be former US intelligence officers. They reportedly boasted about killing individuals in Germany for their codes and exhibited increasingly paranoid behavior. At one point, it was alleged that a gun was held to a chef’s head. Another attendee recounted that tourists had been held against their will at the Kentucky mansion months prior to Waltz’s notable arrest in Manhattan.
Tequila, drugs, and torture: massive spending by two code brothers that ended behind bars.
Authorities have cited reckless spending and drug-induced behavior, claiming they led to temptation and torture in a New York townhouse valued at $75,000. Their defense? It was all just a prank.
As reported in May, a 28-year-old Italian man managed to escape from his Soho apartment on May 23, signaling to a traffic officer that he had been held captive for more than two weeks. The NYPD arrested Watts at the scene. Reports suggest that Woeltz lured the victim under the guise of a business meeting, confiscated his passport, and then initiated a violent scheme to access his cryptocurrency accounts, employing chainsaws, tasers, and Apple Airtags in the process, some of which were reportedly secured around the victim’s neck to prevent escape.
The victim was found tied up with an electrical cord and allegedly forced to use cocaine. When police discovered the makeshift torture room, they encountered blood, broken glass, weapons, and tactical gear. Authorities mentioned that a Polaroid photo was found, showing the victim with a gun aimed at his head, likely as a threat to his family abroad.
This NYC Crypto incident is something else. A 28-year-old tortured for a crypto password?
Woeltz now faces charges related to entrapment, illegal imprisonment, assault, and weapon possession, with a 24-year-old Manhattan woman, Beatrice Follch, also being arrested on similar charges.
It’s frightening! A Manhattan crypto investor kidnapped and tortured a 28-year-old Italian man for a crypto password. Stay safe, everyone.
In Kentucky, Woeltz and Duplessie portrayed themselves as crypto moguls with ambitious plans to rejuvenate the area. They reportedly proposed ideas for hydroelectric dams and luxury hotels. Duplessie even tattooed the Kentucky state seal on his chest and talked about potentially aiming for Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat.
Both individuals are currently under serious criminal investigation, and authorities are exploring whether more victims may exist in Kentucky or beyond.
