Wife of Sandbox co-founder targeted in crypto-linked abduction

The wife of Sebastien Borget, co-founder and chief operating officer of The Sandbox, was the target of an attempted abduction at the couple’s home in Villenoy, Seine-et-Marne, this week. Neighbors intervened and two suspects were arrested while four others escaped.

Investigators say a person posing as a delivery worker, wearing a branded vest and carrying a cardboard box, gained access to the property. When Borget’s wife opened the gate, five hooded accomplices rushed into the courtyard, forced her toward a vehicle and tried to push her inside. Neighbors heard her cries and intervened, prompting the group to disperse.

Four suspects left in a car. Two others fled on foot, hid nearby and later tried to leave in a ride-hail vehicle that was intercepted by officers from the Meaux Anti-Crime Brigade. The two detained are reported to be Mateo V., born in 2010, and Walid H., born in 2009, both residents of Pantin in Seine-Saint-Denis. Investigators found a replica handgun, zip-tie restraints and balaclavas with the detained suspects.

The central security directorate is leading the inquiry. Police are continuing interviews and forensic work and are searching for the four people who escaped. Authorities have asked anyone with information to contact investigators.

Initial investigative elements point to a link with cryptocurrencies. Sebastien Borget, 40, is co-founder and COO of The Sandbox, a blockchain-based virtual world built on Ethereum where users create and monetize gaming experiences using nonfungible tokens and the SAND token.

French law enforcement has recorded a rise in kidnappings and attempted abductions tied to digital assets in recent years. The National Directorate of the Judicial Police reported 41 incidents linked to cryptocurrencies since January 1, 2026, and 135 such incidents documented since 2023. Investigators say France accounts for nearly 80% of Europe’s recorded crypto-related abduction cases.

In April 2026, masked intruders forced a family to transfer roughly $820,000 in digital assets at gunpoint; authorities later brought charges against dozens of suspects in a wider investigation. Officials have announced a prevention platform and directed resources to specialized units to investigate and respond to crypto-linked kidnappings and home invasions.

No official comment has been released by The Sandbox regarding the attempted abduction.