Key Takeaways:
- Manhattan investor John Woeltz is accused of kidnapping and torturing an Italian tourist to extract Bitcoin wallet credentials.
- The victim endured weeks of abuse in a $30,000/month SoHo townhouse before escaping and alerting authorities.
- Woeltz faces four felony charges, including kidnapping for ransom; no crypto theft has been confirmed.
John Woeltz, a 37-year-old Manhattan-based cryptocurrency investor, is facing serious criminal charges after allegedly kidnapping and torturing a 28-year-old Italian tourist to access his Bitcoin wallet.
Prosecutors allege the victim arrived in the U.S. on May 6 and was abducted shortly after by Woeltz and an accomplice.
🇺🇸CRYPTO INVESTOR TURNED TORTURE KINGPIN IN NYC HORROR PAD
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 24, 2025
A Kentucky crypto bro allegedly turned a $40K/month SoHo rental into a full-blown torture chamber to extort millions from an Italian tourist.
Police say John Woeltz bound the man for 2 weeks, electrocuted him,… pic.twitter.com/55pZIm3g3G
He was held captive for weeks in a luxury SoHo townhouse rented for $30,000 per month, where he faced severe abuse for refusing to reveal his wallet credentials.
The victim claimed he was beaten, electroshocked, threatened with a firearm, and suspended from upper floors.
He also stated Woeltz cut his leg with a saw and forced him to smoke crack cocaine.
Additional threats were made against his family.
Police later found Polaroid photos in the residence that appeared to support the claims.
An urgent manhunt underway for another suspect in the horrific torture case at a lavish Manhattan townhome. Police looking for the alleged accomplice of crypto businessman John Woeltz who’s accused of holding a man hostage for weeks. Reena Roy reports. https://t.co/DOQG1IFheA pic.twitter.com/Rh68vNicLY
— World News Tonight (@ABCWorldNews) May 25, 2025
The victim eventually escaped on May 24, leading to Woeltz’s arrest the next day.
Woeltz pleaded not guilty to four felony charges, including kidnapping for ransom, and was ordered held without bail.
A 24-year-old woman was also detained but not charged. Authorities haven’t confirmed if any cryptocurrency was stolen.
A court hearing is set for May 28.
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