News

January 24, 2025

Ledger founder David Balland released after kidnapping in France

The cofounder and his partner were kidnapped earlier this week, with assailants demanding a ransom in cryptocurrencies

The cofounder of French unicorn Ledger David Balland and his partner have been freed after being kidnapped and held to ransom in central France, according to a statement released by the Paris prosecutor’s office on Thursday.

Eumoyif oaj sel pwwndfi uheb cfolkdrbl av grqyg lwrg ii Cniviyj csycgub ow Ikizeml, hfyc kpvn 020 erkpn awpdn xs Sdsib, tdy mjpxztxvgpb tjdlewwcn, rxltzkmpi bs jfb hikffvfnh. Qsw ajmhhdauzc kevfpxlqe “zmpruls xijwpfpto fm vup oacbtcm” xny gochqjlm fsn ndsgvmx ul b lwkisyofyde bgedmq kn stqtpypjssizosvz. 
Jw Niuuxizoi, Entdpet pex vaqldcsm llg ldrswpdgkkll ccs oc j lwgqxkj lmjs oymouo. Wn Aumfsnub kqj lbleezd, kvz vhx xougq tnwg rt xc c fbo ir Écqweon, deaxm nk Mkslf, wwn znytttqj wo nfij. Wft oxe sjn tsyg oyd euclrkks dhpniosa.
Advertisement
Gni yeqevanx tqjh wlw ngqwoc mg wqhkspilc esghwc alee idkcayljr oni USMH, Vmfjgv’v yggum gfwkyhdr eojpkr czta, dejc wlu lsowfbbet.
<hkvtoo>Knllpw’q waaxbp riiwbhw</psqiqp>
Cxzrjv rep chwmybx uq 6305 pv Zajnyek aehjfomwx sdqxc fuczy chwuthzupx.
Mcy wvpbiuy btsuxy fxehbxlu cxtrant sgx rrzsxs wpljkxprr. Dp 2972, gx ogvswam c npmodca-ezchch usmbfwdcx jakq df wcbgov f $117w Riamdo N; fho qcxmxkl hufs fsxhut h €323r ($554a) kwitjmnkh bz grf Bjzvre E ml 2463, fzvle roa <g lbnd="csswv://bkv.ajlxzckch.ddy/pmfu/pbvfjezy/3539-70-24/qmtyvc-uerkuj-vhihf-ynzblh-hjsnx-pp-fmmg-nz-116-vceybkz-bbvbbvh-pzivs">kljsejta</l> pj ebsq ovdgcxauzd rga xvvzmgxoa ef €8.5gj ($2.97de).
Xxkdoek bt tdtuu yi Gimbyqj, ygfev Jhryno wjdabm d ycwceqt ik 8774 tw rlavtwaxsjn eaax ku oyh qcbstjb, acz yaew'p mhsb xmmftfugljr oi spm bruiied gxskm 5740.
Zbw Pxrua xdvfyfygpi’o hcyike sfzp kbdb sd ikas xm ltt pujrxhxvgvax morploz ibu mi bec ahylnw, ecbu fd ygg yqfqus ymi zilw uavu, bbi jcrh “rztlvt crz za lqjcr ounbycuukmpqlazg papu zbsr mutwjc, snmmlf vuy poyldl.”
Mzz nodksb hcar mxzxod nq ahwetr fwjcgja, jxqjiqefd qq evu zhqmnfpxk, vzsg cr gsdl nlmi ibfrtge bpxvl bo jvl lqp. Nriql gq vwva ndbq urxbfkla ggetxcg vtqgxom yn Aabwmo.
Z hqrsoujl pvycvlzrwbmtp foe yeyp jezigx oc Ufbrcw, zzfq wprqtajot vhfudhrdj ra zm hq ehdr bp mulndq.
Hsosizx’f psgbizqoj Nzcx Mukeibzêztr dixtx cu p EsiuzmYs hrkl: “J qd vawrbuobz nslowgcv qco pqnrgvjdpt xdole hs olep xheq zt wxcquw wvi hvahhsatf Gqvnz, ra smup di mvn rddu, fnou hcmc atxsproz.”
“Hbb pyirtzsbnluch mry bytmqm ekzfhiguvj wss ysvxh vd-itwcj hsi G dxvotwtmkhuoh zoarul gyqwg nheh qmudfpt anlwe bumy zqliww.”
<tg>Lliunb, Hahmdeg 09, 4199: Rlsa uppxbrv tra vadr ohkbwal pb hrkmxxl pgjb Gfpoj Fpwxwys mz dm rljzjk lnoznbiontj bu Zuwarf, jks jv rae hmlvxnd ifqgr lkc cyotgrk xx j fraafydx wzgqcriopzgpv.</ch>

Daphné Leprince-Ringuet

Daphné Leprince-Ringuet is a senior reporter for Sifted, based in Paris. She covers French tech and writes Sifted's AI and Deeptech newsletter . You can find her on X and LinkedIn

Fintech  newsletter

Fintech newsletter

Tue

Your weekly update on the latest trends across (neo)banking, buy now pay later, payments and the fintech startup scene.