A Crypto Investor Turned Sadist
In one of the most disturbing criminal cases to emerge from New York City in years, authorities have arrested John Woeltz, a cryptocurrency investor, for kidnapping and brutally torturing an Italian tourist in a scheme to steal access to his Bitcoin wallet. The victim was allegedly held for several weeks in a Manhattan apartment, where he endured horrific abuse.
Woeltz now faces multiple felony charges, including:
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First-degree kidnapping
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Second-degree assault
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First-degree unlawful imprisonment
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Criminal possession of a weapon
He remains in custody pending trial.
Victim Escapes After Weeks of Hell
According to prosecutors, the unnamed Italian tourist was subjected to electric shocks, saw lacerations, and forced crack cocaine use, all while his captors demanded the password to his crypto wallet. The victim also faced psychological torture, death threats, and was even force-fed cocaine.
After weeks of captivity, he miraculously escaped barefoot and flagged down help — a move that likely saved his life.
Disturbing Evidence Recovered
Police recovered a gruesome trove of evidence inside the apartment:
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A saw allegedly used to cut the victim’s leg
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Ballistic helmets, body armor, and night vision goggles
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Chicken wire, potentially used to restrain the victim
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Polaroids of the victim with a firearm pointed at his head
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Photos of the man with a crack pipe in his mouth
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Blood splatter throughout the home
At one point, prosecutors say, Woeltz and another accomplice dangled the victim over a staircase ledge, threatening to kill him if he didn’t comply.
Female Accomplice Walks — For Now
Beatrice Folchi, 24, was also arrested and initially charged with kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment. However, the Manhattan DA has declined to prosecute her “pending further investigation.” That decision has raised serious questions, given the detailed and violent nature of the case.
A Crime Driven by Digital Greed
What began as a scheme to steal cryptocurrency turned into a sadistic, weeks-long torture operation that left a man physically and mentally shattered. Prosecutors say the motive was simple: access to an unknown amount of Bitcoin, but the execution was straight out of a horror film.
The Bottom Line
This is more than just a Bitcoin theft — it’s a chilling reminder of how digital wealth can make people targets for unimaginable violence.
And in this case, the city isn’t just grappling with crypto crime — it’s confronting 21st-century torture on American soil.
