NYPD Detective Assigned to Mayor Eric Adams’ Security Team Under Investigation in Shocking Crypto Kidnapping Case
A New York City Police Department detective assigned to Mayor Eric Adams’ security detail is under investigation for alleged involvement in a disturbing cryptocurrency-related kidnapping and torture case. According to multiple law enforcement sources, the detective is accused of unknowingly — or perhaps knowingly — transporting the victim to his captors.
Authorities say the officer picked up the victim, a wealthy 28-year-old Italian cryptocurrency trader, from John F. Kennedy International Airport on May 6. The trader had just arrived in New York, unaware that his trip would soon turn into a terrifying ordeal. According to sources familiar with the case, the detective was working off-duty at the time, providing private security for John Woeltz, a crypto entrepreneur who has since been charged in connection with the abduction.
It remains unclear whether the detective knew about the kidnapping plot or was simply used as an unwitting accomplice. The detective has been placed on “modified assignment”—a disciplinary status meaning he has been stripped of his badge and firearm and reassigned to desk duty while the investigation continues.
In a related development, a second NYPD officer—this one assigned to the department’s Narcotics Division—has also been placed on modified duty as part of the same investigation. Officials have not disclosed the second officer’s precise connection to the case, but they say investigators are still working to determine whether either detective had any awareness of the violent scheme.
The case centers around a gruesome and elaborate plot allegedly orchestrated by Woeltz and another man, William Duplessie. Prosecutors say the two suspects held the victim captive for several weeks in a desperate attempt to extract his Bitcoin password. During that time, the man was allegedly subjected to repeated beatings, electric shocks, and threats to his life.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has charged both Woeltz and Duplessie in the case. Prosecutors accuse the pair of torturing the victim, threatening to kill him, and even at one point dangling him over a railing to coerce him into revealing access to his digital assets. According to court documents, he was shocked with electric wires, pistol-whipped, and had a firearm pointed directly at his head. His captors also allegedly tied his wrists and threatened to murder his family.
Authorities have not publicly identified the man, citing privacy and safety concerns.
Both Woeltz and Duplessie have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Duplessie’s attorney has declined to comment on the ongoing legal proceedings, and CNN has reached out to Woeltz’s legal representative for a response.
The shocking revelations have prompted swift action from city officials. In a statement to CNN, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed that two detectives were placed on modified duty on Wednesday. One of those officers was a member of the elite unit responsible for protecting Mayor Eric Adams.
Mayor Adams’ office was quick to distance itself from the scandal, emphasizing that the mayor had no knowledge of the officer’s off-duty employment or personal conduct.
“Every city employee is expected to follow the law, including our officers, both on and off duty,” said Kayla Mamelak Altus, press secretary for Mayor Adams.
This case adds another layer of scrutiny to the complex world of off-duty police employment, especially when it involves high-profile city officials or the private sector. Off-duty work is not uncommon for NYPD officers, but it is strictly regulated and must not conflict with public duties or ethical standards. This incident raises troubling questions about how well those lines are enforced — particularly when money, power, and influence intersect with criminal activity.
As for the alleged victim, sources say he is cooperating with authorities as the investigation continues. He reportedly amassed considerable wealth through cryptocurrency trading and was lured to the United States under the guise of a business opportunity. Instead, he found himself imprisoned and tortured in a nightmare scenario aimed at stealing his digital fortune.
The case highlights the growing criminal interest in cryptocurrency holdings and the extremes to which some are willing to go to access them. Bitcoin and other digital currencies, while secure in theory, can become vulnerable when their owners are targeted directly — especially through violent means. Law enforcement officials warn that such crimes are becoming more frequent as the global cryptocurrency market continues to expand.
While prosecutors build their case against Woeltz and Duplessie, the role of the NYPD officers remains under intense scrutiny. If investigators find evidence that the detective knowingly helped facilitate the kidnapping — even through negligence — he could face serious disciplinary action or criminal charges.
For now, the focus remains on uncovering the truth about what happened that day in May, and whether members of the NYPD were in any way complicit in one of the city’s most bizarre and brutal crypto crime cases in recent memory.
Both detectives under investigation in connection with the case were reportedly hired through a private security and investigation firm operated by a retired NYPD sergeant, according to sources who spoke with CNN.
However, law enforcement sources revealed that the NYPD has no record of either detective submitting the required paperwork or receiving approval for off-duty employment—a formal process officers must follow to engage in work outside the department.
As the investigation continues, officials are focused on determining whether the detectives had any knowledge of, or involvement in, the assaults that occurred during the alleged kidnapping and torture scheme.