Two individuals have been arrested in connection with a kidnapping case in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood involving a former crypto business partner. John Woeltz, 37, is facing charges including assault, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a firearm after a 28-year-old victim reported being held and abused for several weeks, according to abc7NY.
Woeltz, who was living in the Prince Street apartment where the incident occurred, was arrested after the victim escaped yesterday morning. The victim had arrived from Italy earlier this month. Police reported that the captors took Polaroid photos during the assault, including one showing the victim tied to a chair with a gun pointed at his head. Court documents stated that the group planned to extort millions in cryptocurrency by luring the victim from Italy. The victim escaped barefoot and wearing a bathrobe, approaching a traffic agent for help.
The New York Post additionally reports details of the alleged torture methods, which included electrocution, pistol-whipping, and threats of dismemberment using an electric chainsaw. A second suspect, Beatrice Folchi, 24, of Manhattan, has also been arrested and charged with first-degree kidnapping and first-degree unlawful imprisonment. Local witnesses around the Prince Street property were interviewed, with one expressing that he got a "weird vibe" from the individuals who had recently taken up residence there.
As the investigation continues, detectives are reviewing the victim’s testimony and examining Polaroid photos found in the apartment, which support the reported events. The victim, who suffered serious injuries, including one possibly caused by a chainsaw, was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment. The NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit searched the apartment to ensure no other individuals were present. One suspect remains at large, while Woeltz is in custody at the NYPD’s 5th Precinct.
