A Miami man, William Duplessie, has been charged with multiple crimes, including kidnapping and assault, in connection with the alleged torture of an Italian cryptocurrency trader in Manhattan, as per statements made by law enforcement officials. Duplessie, aged 33, turned himself in to police yesterday, following the previous arrest of co-defendant John Woeltz, 37, who was taken into custody after the victim managed to escape from the apartment where he was reportedly held for weeks.
According to the Manhattan District Attorney's office, the victim was subjected to physical abuse after he refused to hand over his Bitcoin password. Prosecutors detailed how the assailants used electric wires to shock him and threatened his life. In a twisted attempt to coerce the password from him, they are alleged to have even dangled him over a railing. These alarming revelations were echoed in a statement obtained by WSVN.
The New York Police discovered a host of incriminating items upon searching the SoHo apartment, which included night vision goggles, cocaine, and Polaroid photos of the victim in distressing situations. The violence inflicted upon the victim was corroborated by his sustained injuries, which police say were consistent with the descriptions of the physical assaults he reportedly endured. This information was detailed further in a report by ABC News.
While Duplessie remained silent when confronted by reporters, Woeltz was apprehended last Friday when the 28-year-old Italian national managed to flee from the scene and find assistance from a traffic enforcement officer. Woeltz now faces charges of kidnapping, assault, and unlawful imprisonment, but has not yet entered a plea and was ordered to stay held without bail; he is expected to reappear in court today. A third individual, Beatrice Folchi, was also initially detained in connection with the case, but prosecutors have held off on charging her as the investigation continues.
