Two detectives from the New York Police Department have been reassigned to modified duty amidst an investigation into the abduction and torture of an Italian Bitcoin millionaire in SoHo. According to the NYPD, officers were placed on modified duty on Wednesday, as the department conducts an internal review of the incident, as reported by Gothamist. Among these officers is a member of Mayor Eric Adams' security team, whose involvement was confirmed by the mayor during a television appearance.
These revelations come in the aftermath of allegations that the two detectives work in an unauthorized private capacity, related to the victim's capture by John Woeltz, 37, and William Duplessie, 33, the two men accused in the 17-day ordeal involving beatings, electrocution, and death threats to extort Bitcoin access credentials the mayor has since distanced his office from the private activities of his security personnel stating, "We don't know what they do in their private lives," and that it, "has nothing to do with their professional capacity to make sure that I'm safe while I'm moving around the city," as reported by the Gothamist.
A statement from the Mayor's Office expressed serious concern over the unfolding situation: "Every city employee is expected to follow the law, including our officers, both on and off duty," mentioning that the involved officers were immediately given modified assignments upon learning of the allegations, The Post has learned. The case is still under active investigation, with no further details released at this time.
Meanwhile, Mayor Adams has linked the incident to his broader ambitions for New York City's crypto aspirations, despite allegations surrounding the detectives; during a defense of his recent attendance at a cryptocurrency summit in Las Vegas, the mayor labeled Bitcoin as "a great product" and emphasized the necessity of embracing the industry for job creation in the city, arguing the city's importance in the multi-trillion-dollar industry to propel New York back into the forefront of digital finance, the mayor confirmed in his television appearance, as Gothamist reported.
