David Prinçay, chief executive of Binance France, was the target of a failed home invasion near Paris on Feb. 12, according to French outlet RTL.
Three masked men forced entry into a residential building in Val-de-Marne during the early hours of the morning. The suspects entered the wrong apartment before reaching Prinçay’s residence.
The executive was not home at the time but the group took two mobile phones and left the building.
Police believe the same suspects carried out a second break-in attempt later that morning in Vaucresson, west of Paris. Reports said a resident was assaulted during the incident, which also appeared to involve an incorrect address.
French authorities traced the stolen devices and reviewed surveillance footage to identify the suspects’ movements. Investigators followed the group as they traveled by train toward Lyon.
Officers from the Lyon BRI arrested the three men at Lyon Perrache station later that day. They were placed in custody while police continue their investigation.
The case involved coordination across several units, including Paris’s anti-banditry brigade and departments in Hauts-de-Seine, Val-de-Marne, Yvelines, and transport police services.
The incident adds to growing concern over attacks linked to cryptocurrency figures in France. The country has seen a rise in so-called “wrench attacks,” where criminals use threats or violence to obtain access to digital assets.
Authorities have not released further details on possible motives or connections. Binance has not issued a public comment on the break-in attempt.
Throughout 2025 and into this year, multiple kidnappings, ransom attempts, and home invasions were reported against crypto holders and entrepreneurs.
Last year, a Hong Kong man was sentenced to seven years in Canada for participating in a violent, sexually abusive home invasion that stole $1.6 million in Bitcoin from a British Columbia family.
Binance’s rocky relationship with the French government
French authorities have investigated Binance for alleged money laundering, tax fraud, and operating without proper registration before its May 2022 approval.
The Binance probe, intensified in early 2025, focused on suspected failures in anti-money laundering controls and the “illegal” provision of services, potentially linked to drug trafficking.
French authorities also recently raided X’s Paris offices as part of a criminal investigation into allegations that the Grok AI chatbot was used to generate illegal child sexual abuse imagery.
The probe was being coordinated with Europol and is examining the involvement of both current and former executives, including Elon Musk. X has denied any wrongdoing, calling the investigation politically motivated.