- Two well-known crypto figures, John Woeltz and William Duplessie, have been arrested after allegedly kidnapping and torturing an Italian man to get into his multimillion-dollar Bitcoin wallet.
- Two NYPD detectives are also being looked at as suspects. They’re accused of secretly acting as private security during the abduction.
A small plan to get back some stolen crypto turned into a brutal 17-day stretch of beatings and threats inside a fancy Manhattan townhouse. Now it’s turning into one of the wildest crime stories NYC has seen in a while, dragging in big crypto names, serious violence, and even a couple of cops who might’ve been in on it. The whole thing’s got the crypto world and pretty much everyone else watching in disbelief.
From Crypto Hustle to Full-On Crime Scene
John Woeltz, who people in the scene know as the “Crypto King of Kentucky,” is now at the center of a wild case. He was accused of kidnapping and torturing Italian national Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan inside a $21 million townhouse in Nolita, one of Manhattan’s richest neighborhoods.
Cops say Carturan, who had already taken a huge hit in a past crypto scam tied to Woeltz, was tricked into coming back to New York with the promise of getting his coins back. But instead of recovering anything, he ended up getting caught in a brutal abduction and torture to reveal access of a Bitcoin wallet.
Carturan was reportedly held for over two weeks, during which he was beaten, shocked with electricity, and threatened at gunpoint. On May 23, he somehow managed to escape—barefoot, battered, and panicked and flagged down a cop on the street.
According to the Associated Press report, Woeltz was picked up not long after and was denied bail, with the court calling him a serious flight risk and pointing to how intense the charges are. Cops say the townhouse was loaded with drugs, guns, and a bunch of pricey surveillance gear, making it clear this wasn’t just thrown together—it was planned out. A few days later, 33-year-old William Duplessie turned himself in to the Manhattan DA. Prosecutors say he handled a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff, like keeping the place running and helping keep Carturan locked down.
But things didn’t stop there. The case quickly blew up even more when two NYPD cops got dragged into it, raising major questions about shady behavior inside the department. The NewYork Times reported, Detective Roberto Cordero—who’s actually on Mayor Eric Adams’ personal security team—and Detective Raymond J. Low are now both under the spotlight. Word is, Cordero picked up Carturan from the airport in an unmarked car and brought him straight to the Nolita townhouse. Both detectives were allegedly spotted at the property while Carturan was being held and are now suspected of acting as unofficial private security during the whole thing.
While neither officer has been formally charged, they have been placed on modified duty. The NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau is actively investigating their involvement. Officials have publicly reaffirmed that police officers are strictly prohibited from taking on any off-duty work without proper approval.
The Nolita townhouse, which used to be known for throwing wild parties and flashy get-togethers, is now tied to one of the city’s craziest and darkest crime stories in recent memory. Woeltz is set to appear in court on June 11. As more details come out, the case is expected to put a bigger spotlight on how deep crypto-related crimes can go—and just how far they might be creeping into the same systems that are supposed to protect people from stuff like this.
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