Severe Sentencing for Cryptocurrency Criminal Activities
The Tangier Court of Appeal has handed down a significant sentence to 25-year-old Mohamed Hamid Bajjou, a French-Moroccan national who has been identified as the orchestrator of a criminal gang that targeted cryptocurrency figures in France. On Thursday, the court sentenced Bajjou to 25 years in prison after he was found guilty of several serious charges, including forming a criminal gang, attempted premeditated murder, kidnapping, and unlawful detention involving torture. Furthermore, he was convicted for making ransom demands, possessing firearms without proper authorization, and engaging in drug trafficking. In addition to his prison term, the court mandated that he pay one million dirhams to each of his victims, emphasizing the gravity of his actions.
Bajjou's criminal activities reached a notorious peak when he was implicated in the kidnapping and torture of David Balland, one of the co-founders of Ledger, a prominent French cryptocurrency wallet company. The case revolved around a staggering ransom demand of €10 million, showcasing the extreme lengths to which Bajjou and his gang would go to exploit their victims. His arrest in Morocco in June 2025 came under a red notice issued by Paris via Interpol, but he was not extradited to France due to his dual nationality. The trial that followed in Morocco culminated in his conviction, underlining the serious implications of his criminal undertakings.
Upon his arrest, law enforcement discovered a cache of bladed weapons in his residence, further illustrating the dangerous nature of his operations. The sentencing of Bajjou serves as a stark reminder of the evolving threats in the realm of cryptocurrency and the lengths to which individuals may go to manipulate and intimidate those within this burgeoning industry.
As reported by en.yabiladi.com.
