Kidnappings of influencers in France: how the Moroccan trail weighed in the investigation

The most spectacular case dates back to August 2023, in the Sarthe commune of Cures. A man in his sixties opens his door to a supposed Amazon delivery man before being violently thrown into a van. The victim is none other than the father of TeufeurS, a wealthy influencer based in Malta. To obtain his release, his kidnappers do not demand banknotes, but cryptocurrencies. In total, the equivalent of 1.7 million euros will be transferred to digital wallets before the hostage is released.

The investigations, carried out with the support of video surveillance and telephone records, have uncovered an organized group whose members are said to have met for the most part in detention. This commando is also suspected of having kidnapped the mother of another influencer in Élancourt, in the Yvelines, using the same ruse of the fake delivery man. One of the protagonists, Djelloul C., is even suspected of having piloted operations from his cell in the Angers prison using mobile phones.

The case takes on an international dimension with the identification of the alleged mastermind, Badiss B. After directing the operations remotely, the latter had taken refuge in Morocco to escape the French investigators. His flight ended on June 3, 2025 during a forceful arrest in Tangier. Although his name appears in other kidnapping cases, such as that of the co-founder of the Ledger company, the man will not be extradited, as he also holds Moroccan nationality. It is now up to the investigating judge to decide whether this network will soon be referred to the Assize Court.