Ledger’s Co-founder Eric Larch Reportedly Safe Following Kidnapping Rumors

Rumours have surfaced that Eric Larchevêque, one of the co-founders of Ledger, a firm that deals with cryptocurrency hardware wallets, was kidnapped in France. The alleged incident is said to have occurred in Mairé, a small town in central France where Larchevêque has a home. Some unconfirmed sources stated that the abductors asked for a Bitcoin ransom, which led to the involvement of the French police, including the GIGN which is a part of the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group.

Some sources claimed that French authorities were closely working on the case in the Vienne region. However, there were other reports that proved the initial claims to be false, thereby creating doubts on their authenticity.

Ledger’s Co-founder Eric Larchevêque Reportedly Safe

Soon after the allegations, locals and other media outlets, as well as investigative journalists, dismissed the kidnapping rumor. Gregory Raymond, co-founder of investigative firm The Big Whale, said that there was no proof that Eric Larchevêque had been kidnapped.

“Be careful with published information that could threaten an ongoing investigation in France,” Raymond wrote on X (formerly Twitter). His post implied that sharing fake news can hinder the work of law enforcement institutions.

Furthermore, the French media outlet Le Fil d’Info stated that the allegations might have been inflated or fabricated. However, the story did not stop there and began gaining momentum within the cryptocurrency community, causing a stir. 

Crypto Community Reacts to Conflicting Reports

With rumors rife, former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao (CZ) took to X to comment on the matter, noting the confusion prevailing at the time.

“ I am seeing a lot of posts about the former CEO of Ledger being kidnapped and asking for BTC as a ransom, for instance. However, some posts are saying that he is alright. I don’t know what is real for now. The truth will come out soon. Regardless, I hope he is fine,” CZ said.

His comments were rather cautious, which is quite understandable given the lack of official statements from Ledger himself or the French authorities at the time. Ledger, a company that was co-founded by Larchevêque in 2014, is one of the biggest companies that offer hardware wallets for cryptocurrency.

The company has not made any statement in relation to the occurrence.However, many in the crypto industry stayed put and had to wait for confirmation from the relevant authorities Eric Larchevêque whereabouts.