Latest news with #Carturan
Business Insider
21 minutes ago
- Business Insider
Men accused of waterboarding a bitcoin millionaire for his password to be freed on $1M bail
"If you think the bondsman is going to take cryptocurrency, that would be a problem," New York Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro told lawyers for the two men."You are certainly going to have to show where it is coming from," the judge said of the money to be posted by William Duplessie, 33, of Miami, and John Woeltz, 37, of Kentucky. Under the bail agreement, both will wear ankle monitors. Duplessie will serve home confinement with family in Miami, and Woeltz will serve from a yet-determined address in New York. The men are accused of kidnapping and torturing a bitcoin millionaire from Italy for nearly three weeks in May inside a $24 million luxury Manhattan townhouse. The victim was not only pistol-whipped, set on fire, and attacked with a small chainsaw — he was also waterboarded, head butted, and hoisted up by his throat, all to get him to turn over his bitcoin password, prosecutors say in court papers. At their last court appearance, in June, the defendants' lawyers told Carro that the kidnapping-torture allegations are completely fabricated. (Carro is the same judge assigned to the state-level murder case of Luigi Mangione, accused in the December 2024 assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.) The crypto-kidnapping victim, Michael Carturan, 28, was a business partner and friend to Duplessie and Woeltz, the lawyers said. They said Carturan was at the townhouse willingly, for what they described as a 17-day party. There are videos of Carturan "smoking crack, having the time of his life, being involved in a sex orgy, being dragged around by a woman while he's naked inside the location" while wearing a BDSM collar, defense lawyer Sanford Talkin told the judge. Talkin told the judge that Carturan is also seen on sidewalk surveillance video walking the neighborhood freely, including shopping for eyeglasses and taking a stroll with the dogwalker who cared for a dog living at the townhouse. At any time, Carturan could have stopped a passerby and said, "I'm in trouble," but did not do so, said Wayne Gosnell, attorney for Duplessie. "He was at church, he was at clubs, he was at dinners," Gosnell said. Prosecutor Sarah Khan told a different story — with images. "I would like to show the court a photograph that shows that the victim is lit on fire," she told the judge. "So what are his injuries?" the judge asked. The flames would be extinguished before he suffered burns, Khan answered. "Our information is that the defendants would pour tequila in him, light him on fire, then put the fire out, sometimes by urinating on him," she said. Caturan was bleeding from his head and face on May 23, when he ran barefoot from the house, desperate to find a police officer, prosecutors and police have said. Khan said in court last month that Caturan was coerced into assuming "various poses" to make it look in photographs as if he were not being forcibly held. "Victims of abuse are not always going to act in a way that we expect people to do," she told the judge. She suggested that Caturan's grand jury testimony — which resulted in a ten-count indictment charging kidnapping, assault, and weapons possession — was harrowing. "This is not, in fact, the first time that these defendants have engaged in conduct that constitutes similar crimes, meaning people being held against their will," Khan also told the judge last month. "There are two other victims from two different occasions," she said, previewing arguments that may become more detailed at Wednesday's bail hearing. Court documents also reveal new details of what police say they seized from the eight-bedroom, six-floor property, which was being rented for more than $30,000 a month. The seized items include a loaded gun, two knives, two hacksaws, a chainsaw, zip ties, plastic buckets, and a cattle prod. The list also includes items described as "pants with burn" and "wooden paddle with signatures." "I don't think there's anything crazy in here," Woeltz told the NYPD officers who arrested him at the townhouse shortly after Caturan fled. Prosecutors said last month that they were still going through 30 cellphones and laptops seized from the home, along with 30 crypto "storage devices." Khan said at last month's arraignment that so far, three recovered cellphones have revealed "additional evidence, including photos and messages that corroborate the intent here: Torture, humiliation, and control."
Business Insider
12 hours ago
- Business Insider
Men accused of waterboarding a bitcoin millionaire for his password will ask on Wednesday to be freed on bail
Waterboarding, too? Court documents reveal new details of the torture that prosecutors say a bitcoin millionaire from Italy suffered in May during a two-week kidnapping inside a $24 million luxury Manhattan townhouse. The victim was not only pistol-whipped, set on fire, and attacked with a small chainsaw — he was also waterboarded, head butted, and hoisted up by his throat, all to get him to turn over his bitcoin password, prosecutors say in court papers. The latest details may be discussed on Wednesday, when the two accused kidnappers, cryptocurrency investors William Duplessie, 37, of Miami, and John Woeltz, 37, of Kentucky, will ask a judge to free them on $1 million bail each with separate home confinement in the homes of their parents. At their last court appearance, in June, the defendants' lawyers told New York Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro that the kidnapping-torture allegations are completely fabricated. (Carro is the same judge assigned to the state-level murder case of Luigi Mangione, accused in the December 2024 assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.) The crypto-kidnapping victim, Michael Carturan, 28, was a business partner and friend to Duplessie and Woeltz, the lawyers said. They said Carturan was at the townhouse willingly, for what they described as a 17-day party. There are videos of Carturan "smoking crack, having the time of his life, being involved in a sex orgy, being dragged around by a woman while he's naked inside the location" while wearing a BDSM collar, defense lawyer Sanford Talkin told the judge. Talkin told the judge that Carturan is also seen on sidewalk surveillance video walking the neighborhood freely, including shopping for eyeglasses and taking a stroll with the dogwalker who cared for a dog living at the townhouse. At any time, Carturan could have stopped a passerby and said, "I'm in trouble," but did not do so, said Wayne Gosnell, attorney for Duplessie. "He was at church, he was at clubs, he was at dinners," Gosnell said. Prosecutor Sarah Khan told a different story — with her own images backing it up. "I would like to show the court a photograph that shows that the victim is lit on fire," she told the judge. "So what are his injuries?" the judge asked. The flames would be extinguished before he suffered burns, Khan answered. "Our information is that the defendants would pour tequila in him, light him on fire, then put the fire out, sometimes by urinating on him," she said. Caturan was bleeding from his head and face on May 23, when he ran barefoot from the house, desperate to find a police officer, prosecutors and police have said. Khan said in court last month that Caturan was coerced into assuming "various poses" to make it look in photographs as if he was not being forcibly held. "Victims of abuse are not always going to act in a way that we expect people to do," she told the judge. She suggested that Caturan's grand jury testimony — which resulted in a ten-count indictment charging kidnapping, assault, and weapons possession — was harrowing. "This is not, in fact, the first time that these defendants have engaged in conduct that constitutes similar crimes, meaning people being held against their will," Khan also told the judge last month. "There are two other victims from two different occasions," she said, previewing arguments that may become more detailed at Wednesday's bail hearing. Court documents also reveal new details of what police say they seized from the eight-bedroom, six-floor property, which was being rented for more than $30,000 a month. The seized items include a loaded gun, two knives, two hacksaws, a chainsaw, zip ties, plastic buckets, and a cattle prod. The list also includes items described as "pants with burn" and "wooden paddle with signatures." "I don't think there's anything crazy in here," Woeltz told the NYPD officers who arrested him at the townhouse shortly after Caturan fled. Prosecutors said last month that they were still going through 30 cellphones and laptops seized from the home, along with 30 crypto "storage devices." Khan said at last month's arraignment that so far, three recovered cellphones have revealed "additional evidence, including photos and messages that corroborate the intent here: Torture, humiliation, and control." The two defendants say they will fight the charges. They face up to life in prison if convicted of the top kidnapping charge.
New York Post
11-06-2025
- New York Post
Crypto bros in twisted NYC kidnap case held 2 other victims ‘against their will,' DA says while revealing sick new details
The crypto bros who allegedly tortured an Italian millionaire for his Bitcoin password also held two other victims 'against their will,' prosecutors revealed Wednesday – along with shocking new details about the Soho house of horrors. John Woeltz, 37, and William Duplessie, 33, pleaded not guilty to kidnapping charges in a dramatic Manhattan Supreme Court arraignment filled with bombshell revelations – including of a graphic photo allegedly showing the pair sadistically setting their Italian captive on fire. 4 John Woeltz (pictured), 37, and William Duplessie, 33, pleaded not guilty to kidnapping charges Wednesday. Steven Hirsch 4 Woeltz and Duplessie (pictured) are accused of holding Italian crypto trader at a swanky Soho townhouse against his will for weeks. Steven Hirsch 4 Steven Hirsch The twisted duo allegedly held the victim, cryptocurrency trader Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, captive for nearly three weeks in their rented Prince Street townhouse. A prosecutor revealed that Woeltz and Duplessie had previously held two other people from two different locations 'against their will' before allegedly kidnapping Carturan last month. No details about the other alleged kidnappings were disclosed during the hearing, but prosecutors did unveil new accusations about Carturan's harrowing experiences. 4 The crypto bros' alleged kidnap victim seen on surveillance footage after escaping. WNBC At one point, Woeltz and Duplessie allegedly poured tequila over Carturan, lit him aflame and doused the blaze by urinating on him, prosecutors said, describing a photo. 'He luckily doesn't have burn injuries,' the prosecutor said about Carturan, who escaped May 23 after his alleged weeks-long ordeal.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Feds search Kentucky estate owned by SoHo crypto torture suspects
A Kentucky estate owned by two men accused of torturing an Italian man in SoHo over a Bitcoin password was raided by a team of investigators Tuesday. New York City cops joined federal officials and Kentucky State Police to go through a property belonging to cryptocurrency investor John Woeltz and his associate William Duplessie, according to TMZ. Investigators reportedly have two warrants for an 'active and ongoing investigation' involving the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Woeltz, 37, and Duplessie, 33, are accused of luring 28-year-old Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan from Italy to Manhattan, then violently keeping him under their control for 17 days before he seemingly escaped their downtown townhouse bloodied and wearing no shoes. Some photos obtained by TMZ call into question how much resistance Caturan offered at certain points in the ordeal. TMZ said one image showed him unrestrained and seemingly using crack cocaine in what appeared to be a party atmosphere. But prosecutors claim Carturan's wrists were bound and he was subjected to 'beatings including but not limited to the use of electric wires to shock him' as well as being assaulted with a firearm that was sometimes pointed at his head. The alleged assailants are also accused of using a saw to cut his leg and urinating on him. Carturan said he was relieved of his passport and electronic devices upon arrival on the Prince Street property. He escaped when one of his captors left him alone to get a laptop so he could enter the passport the suspects wanted. Woeltz is known as the 'Crypto King of Kentucky,' according to TMZ.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Yahoo
Photos show alleged crypto kidnapping victim 'having a good time' at Soho townhouse
The Brief Newly obtained photos show alleged Italian kidnapping victim Michael Carturan at the posh Soho townhouse of accused torturers John Woeltz and William Duplessie. One photo shows him shirtless and smiling with a neck collar attached to a leash, pulled by a woman. Another video shows him having sex with a woman. Carturan reported escaping on May 23, alleging threats and torture for his Bitcoin password; suspects face charges including kidnapping and assault. NEW YORK - Photos obtained by TMZ reveal a wild scene inside the Soho townhouse where Italian crypto investor Michael Carturan was allegedly tortured and held captive by John Woeltz and William Duplessie. What we know TMZ's photos depict Carturan, whose face is blurred, shirtless and smiling with a neck collar attached to a leash, pulled by a woman. The images, captured between May 11 and May 13, show multiple people in the room, though it's unclear if Woeltz or Duplessie are present. A video, not shown in this report, appears to show Carturan having sex with a woman. What they're saying Charles Latibeaudiere, executive producer at TMZ, said these photos show this case in a new light. "It definitely paints a much different picture from what police and prosecutors have said went down in that Soho townhouse. The question is: Did it change? So what we've seen in these photos that we've obtained, Michael the Italian investor seems to be enjoying himself with the women who are there," Latibeaudiere said. Former NYPD detective Michael Alcazar commented that the photos and video suggest Carturan was a willing participant, appearing to enjoy himself. "The photos and video is good for the perpetrators," Alcazar told FOX 5 NY, "It seems like he was a willing participant. It sure looked like he was having a good time." Alcazar noted that police will identify and question everyone in the videos and photos to verify the events, including checking DNA evidence and fingerprints. The backstory Carturan escaped on May 23, reporting to police that the suspects used a saw to cut his leg and threatened him for his Bitcoin password. Prosecutors say Duplessie and Woeltz lured the victim to the posh townhouse on May 6 by threatening to kill his family. For 17 days, the two investors tormented him with electrical wires, forced him to smoke from a crack pipe and at one point dangled him from a staircase five stories high, prosecutors allege. Duplessie and Woelyz face several changes, including kidnapping and assault. The Source This article uses reporting from TMZ, the Associated Press and background from former NYPD detective Michael Alcazar.
