A cryptocurrency investor has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping and torture of his former business partner, who was allegedly held captive for weeks in a luxurious SoHo brownstone.
John Woeltz, 37, was taken into custody barefoot and in a bathrobe Friday morning after the 28-year-old victim managed to escape the Prince Street residence and flag down a traffic agent for help, ABC7 reported. Woeltz faces charges that include assault, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a firearm.
A female suspect has also been arrested, while a third male suspect remains at large.
Authorities say the suspects lured the victim back from Italy under false pretenses in order to access his crypto accounts. When he arrived at the SoHo address on May 6, he says his passport was taken, and he was subjected to violent physical and psychological abuse.
The group allegedly tied the man with electrical cords, electrocuted him, pistol-whipped him, and threatened to sever his limbs with an electric chainsaw. Polaroids were taken of the torture— including images of the victim bound to a chair with a gun to his head—apparently intended for extortion.
Police said the victim was forced to ingest drugs and withstood psychological torment, which included threatening to kill him and scheduling his "death day." He was made to wear an Apple AirTag around his neck to track his location in the residence.
The victim is now recovering at Bellevue Hospital from injuries, including chainsaw-inflicted cuts.
The home—a lavish five-story rental—was littered with broken glass. Police noted that night vision goggles, helmets, and a bulletproof vest were visible inside.
Detectives are interviewing two butlers employed by Woeltz in the home as the investigation remains ongoing.
Originally published on Latin Times
