logo
Crypto boss's assistant is also arrested after over ‘kidnap and torture of ex-business partner' in luxe NYC pad

Crypto boss's assistant is also arrested after over ‘kidnap and torture of ex-business partner' in luxe NYC pad

The Irish Sun25-05-2025

THE glam assistant of a $100million crypto boss has been arrested after a former partner was allegedly kidnapped and chainsaw-tortured in a swanky NYC penthouse.
Beatrice Folchi was busted Friday at a $40K-a-month SoHo pad where an Italian man says he was held and tortured for weeks by crypto boss John Woeltz in a twisted bid to steal his crypto password.
6
Beatrice Folchi was arrested alongside Kentucky-based crypto investor John Woeltz for the alleged kidnap and torture of an Italian man
Credit: Backstage
6
She is a small-time actor who claims to work as a marketing manager for luxury brands like Rolls-Royce and Bentley
Credit: Backstage
6
He was arrested after the victim was able to flee his apartment
Credit: ABC 7
Police sources told
The 24-year old was charged with first-degree kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.
But the Manhattan District Attorney's Office declined to prosecute — for now — citing an ongoing investigation.
Folchi, who is originally from Latina, Italy, according to her Facebook, was seen strolling near her Chelsea apartment Saturday when she denied involvement.
Read more world news
'I'm not arrested,' she told The Post while wearing an all-black ensemble, dark sunglasses, and toting a nearly $1,300 Stella McCartney bag.
'Everything is going to be told but with a lawyer — I can't make any comments right now,' she added before turning and walking away.
Folchi reportedly studied communication and philosophy from 2017 to 2020.
She boasts on LinkedIn that she's 'experienced in managing media production and events for prestigious clients in the sports and automotive industries, including Puma, Manchester City, Rolls-Royce, and Bentley.'
Most read in The US Sun
Her online acting profiles show she's also starred in a handful of films and shorts, including the 2021 drama Butterfly Wings.
Inside France's brutal crypto crime wave with chopped off fingers, delivery van street kidnaps & £10million ransoms
Her arrest comes after her boss, 37-year-old Kentucky-based John Woeltz, was cuffed over what police described as a sadistic torture campaign aimed at accessing the victim's crypto fortune.
The tourist, from Turin, Italy, told cops he had done business with Woeltz in the past but the relationship soured.
He said Woeltz lured him back to the US on May 6 — then allegedly seized his passport and began an ordeal straight out of a horror movie.
According to investigators, Woeltz bound the man with electrical cords, electrocuted him, tased him with his feet in water, pistol-whipped him, and threatened to saw off his limbs with an electric chainsaw.
Woeltz even reportedly took Polaroids of the torture — including one where the victim is seen tied to a chair with a gun to his head — in an apparent bid to extort money from the victim's family in Italy.
Cops said the victim was forced to take cocaine and subjected to psychological torment, including being fitted with an Apple AirTag around his neck to track his every move.
The man managed to flee after Woeltz allegedly declared it would be his 'death day.'
He was found with numerous injuries, including one suspected to be from a chainsaw.
He is now recovering at Bellevue Hospital.
Woeltz has been charged with two counts of assault, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a firearm.
Police recovered a gun at the scene and are continuing to search the apartment under a warrant.
The investigation remains ongoing.
6
Crypto investor John Woeltz has been charged with assault and unlawful imprisonment
Credit: ABC 7
6
The victim was held for a week inside a $40,000-a-month apartment on Prince Street in New York's SoHo
Credit: ABC 7
6
The 24-year old was charged with first-degree kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment
Credit: Backstage

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Mike Lynch's sunken superyacht taken to Sicilian town for full probe
Mike Lynch's sunken superyacht taken to Sicilian town for full probe

Sunday World

time2 hours ago

  • Sunday World

Mike Lynch's sunken superyacht taken to Sicilian town for full probe

Irish tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter were among those killed when the superyacht sank off Sicily on August 19 Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht the Bayesian is moved after being lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello, Sicily. Peter Byrne/PA Wire Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht the Bayesian is moved after being lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello, Sicily. Peter Byrne/PA Wire Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht the Bayesian is moved after being lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello, Sicily. Peter Byrne/PA Wire Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht the Bayesian is moved after being lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello, Sicily. Peter Byrne/PA Wire Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht has been taken to the town where British and Italian investigators will carry out a full probe into the sinking. Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off Sicily on August 19 including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18. The vessel was held above the water by one of Europe's most powerful floating sea cranes, which set off from the fishing village Porticello at around 1.10pm local time. It was held in front of the crane as it moved. People navigate on a boat past the wreckage of "Bayesian" yacht. Photo: REUTERS/Igor Petyx The vessel arrived in Termini Imerese, a town around 12 milies away at just after 3pm on Sunday. It will then be moved into a specially manufactured steel cradle, which has a tarpaulin underneath for pollution prevention. Salvage workers on site, not accompanying the vessel to port, are conducting a 'full sweep' of the seabed near Porticello for any potential debris, a project insider said. Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht the Bayesian is moved after being lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello, Sicily. Peter Byrne/PA Wire Italian prosecutors previously said raising and examining the yacht for evidence would provide key information for its investigation into the sinking. It will also aid the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report on what happened. Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire News in 90 Seconds - June 22nd Simon Graves, an MAIB investigator, previously told the PA news agency: 'When the wreck is brought ashore, we'll be completing a full examination of the wreck and we'll be finding out all of the elements that might have contributed to the safety of the vessel.' Further details such as 'escape routes' will be included in its final report on the sinking, according to Mr Graves, who added: 'Once we get access to the vessel we'll be able to tell a fuller picture of activities on board and the sequence of events.' The wreckage of "Bayesian" yacht. Photo: REUTERS/Igor Petyx The vessel was originally expected to be raised last month but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment. About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht the Bayesian is moved after being lifted to the surface near the fishing town of Porticello, Sicily. Peter Byrne/PA Wire Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks, Kent.

Irish tech tycoon Mike Lynch's sunken Bayesian yacht now taken to Sicilian town for full investigation
Irish tech tycoon Mike Lynch's sunken Bayesian yacht now taken to Sicilian town for full investigation

Irish Independent

time5 hours ago

  • Irish Independent

Irish tech tycoon Mike Lynch's sunken Bayesian yacht now taken to Sicilian town for full investigation

LATEST | Tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his 18-year-old daughter were among those killed when the superyacht sank off Sicily on August 19 Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht has been taken to the town where British and Italian investigators will carry out a full probe into the sinking. Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off Sicily on August 19 including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18.

Bayesian yacht taken to Sicilian town for full investigation into sinking
Bayesian yacht taken to Sicilian town for full investigation into sinking

Irish Examiner

time5 hours ago

  • Irish Examiner

Bayesian yacht taken to Sicilian town for full investigation into sinking

Tech tycoon Mike Lynch's superyacht has been taken to the town where British and Italian investigators will carry out a full probe into the sinking. Seven people died when the Bayesian sank off Sicily on August 19, including billionaire Mr Lynch, 59, and his daughter Hannah, 18. The vessel was held above the water by one of Europe's most powerful floating sea cranes, which set off from the fishing village of Porticello at around 1.10pm local time. It was held in front of the crane as it moved. The vessel was held above the water by one of Europe's most powerful floating sea cranes (Peter Byrne/PA) The vessel arrived in Termini Imerese, a town around 12 miles away, at just after 3pm on Sunday. It will then be moved into a specially manufactured steel cradle, which has a tarpaulin underneath for pollution prevention. Salvage workers on site, not accompanying the vessel to port, are conducting a 'full sweep' of the seabed near Porticello for any potential debris, a project insider said. Italian prosecutors previously said raising and examining the yacht for evidence would provide key information for its investigation into the sinking. It will also aid the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) report on what happened. Salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9 (Peter Byrne/PA) Simon Graves, an MAIB investigator, previously told the PA news agency: 'When the wreck is brought ashore, we'll be completing a full examination of the wreck and we'll be finding out all of the elements that might have contributed to the safety of the vessel.' Further details such as 'escape routes' will be included in its final report on the sinking, according to Mr Graves, who added: 'Once we get access to the vessel, we'll be able to tell a fuller picture of activities on board and the sequence of events.' The vessel was originally expected to be raised last month but salvage efforts were delayed after a diver died during underwater work on May 9, prompting greater use of remote-controlled equipment. About 70 specialist personnel had been mobilised to Porticello from across Europe to work on the recovery operation. Inquest proceedings in the UK are looking at the deaths of Mr Lynch and his daughter, as well as Morgan Stanley International bank chairman Jonathan Bloomer, 70, and his wife, Judy Bloomer, 71, who were all British nationals. Fifteen people, including Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, were rescued. Mr Lynch and his daughter were said to have lived in the vicinity of London and the Bloomers lived in Sevenoaks, Kent.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store