Durov blames 41 French crypto kidnappings in 3.5 months on tax officials selling owner data, warns more government data means more victims

Durov says 41 crypto holders have been kidnapped in France in just 3.5 months of 2026, blaming the surge on French tax officials directly selling owner data to criminals plus massive tax database leaks. He frames it as a warning against the government's push to collect IDs and private messages from social media users — more centralized data means more attack surface. French prosecutors have charged 88 people so far, including in cases involving minors, and Telegram has said it would leave France before handing over user data.

TLDR by @Benthic

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