The man of Kentucky, 37, accused of kidnapping and torture of an Italian would have held captive for weeks in a townhouse in Manhattan aimed at bringing the password of the man to Bitcoin, according to sources of application of the law.
John Woeltz, also known by some under the name of “Crypto King of Kentucky”, was arrested on Friday and translated in charge of kidnapping, illegal imprisonment and aggression, among other accusations.
Sources of application of the law said that Woeltz and a trading partner had spent the last few weeks torture their third partner, an Italian citizen, who arrived in New York at the beginning of May. Investigators believe that the relationship between the three men had been tumultuous in the past, but reached a head when the Italian arrived on May 6.
Woeltz and the other partner are accused of having taken the passport and the victim’s electronic devices, then demanding his Bitcoin password. When the 28 -year -old refused, the police said that Woeltz and the other pistol had whipped the victim, held a weapon on his head, used a chainsaw on his leg, urinated on him, attached his wrists, swung him with the building and threatened his family.
When the victim managed to escape Friday morning, more than two weeks after the start of torture, the police found him covered with cuts and bruises. There were ligature marks on his wrists to be linked.
Detectives are still looking for the third trading partner.
Following Woeltz’s arrest, the investigators would have found a mine of evidence at the rented house. Sources of application of the law said that they had revealed several Polaroid photos of the victim attached and tortured. Investigators would also have recovered a firearm and several torture articles.
Authorities think Woeltz is a Grand Cryptocurry Merchant in Kentucky with around $ 100 million. He would have rented the Nolita residence at a monthly rate of at least $ 30,000.
The town hall of Luxury on six floors of Prince Street had an elevator and was described by sources like a high-end frame house with bottles of dotted alcohol and stripper posts in the basement. The neighbors said that they could hear a strong party at all hours of the night, but they had no idea of the alleged torture taking place within its walls.
Woeltz is detained without deposit. His lawyer did not speak to the media after a Saturday morning indictment.
