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Moroccan police arrested Badiss Mohamed Amide Bajjou, who is accused of being one of the ringleaders behind a spate of recent crypto-related kidnappings in France.
A man accused of being one of the masterminds behind a string of recent kidnappings in France to gain access to crypto has been arrested in Morocco.
At the request of French authorities, Morocco’s national police and intelligence service arrested Badiss Mohamed Amide Bajjou — a 24-year-old French-Moroccan man who was reportedly found in possession of multiple bladed weapons and several mobile phones.
France’s Minister of Justice, Gérald Darmanin, praised the arrest in a June 4 X post after French news outlet Le Parisien reported the arrest.
“I sincerely thank Morocco for this arrest, which demonstrates the excellent judicial cooperation between our two countries, particularly against organized crime,” Darmanin said.
Interpol issued a red notice for Bajjou’s arrest in 2023, alleging he was tied to other kidnappings and criminal activities.
A mugshot of Bajjou from 2023. Source: InterpolTwo crypto kidnappings and a failed attempt
The latest incident occurred in broad daylight on May 13, when multiple assailants allegedly attempted to kidnap the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat, CEO of French crypto platform Paymium.
A video of the alleged attack filmed by passersby shows Noizat’s daughter fending off masked men with the help of bystanders, forcing them back into a nearby waiting van, where they fled the scene.
En plein Paris, un homme a été violenté par des individus cagoulés, habillés tout en noir. Ils tentaient de l'enlever. Un homme a surgi, extincteur à la main, pour les faire fuir. →https://t.co/P0qV6PR40v pic.twitter.com/9f4r2Gi7ho
— Le Figaro (@Le_Figaro) May 13, 2025
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