A French couple endured three home invasions in less than a month after criminals targeted their home, believing it belonged to cryptocurrency millionaires, an Amiens criminal court heard Aug. 11.

The victims, a farmer and a bank executive in their late 20s, had purchased the home in the Montdidier area of the Somme department two years ago. Unknown to them, the residence previously belonged to a wealthy retired couple whose tax records and home address were leaked on the dark web, according to defense attorney Giuseppina Marras.

The dark web leak triggered a series of break-ins by three separate groups of intruders who attempted to extort digital currency from residents who did not possess it.

According to a local report, the first intrusion occurred on June 24, but the couple’s dogs chased the intruders off. Two days later, a second group breached the home, bound one victim, and beat the other. The attackers filmed the assault live on the messaging platform Snapchat before realizing they had the wrong targets and fleeing.

Following the second attack, the couple installed a security system. The alarm frightened off a third group of intruders on July 17.

Two men, ages 20 and 21, were arrested Aug. 7 after an investigation by the Montdidier gendarmerie’s research brigade. Investigators identified the suspects using security camera footage, mobile phone records, and DNA evidence recovered from a toll ticket on the A1 motorway.

The 20-year-old suspect told the court he was hired via the messaging app Telegram to break down the door for a promised payment between $17,000 and $34,600. He claimed he accepted the job to pay off $4,600 in debt accumulated by his mother, who faced eviction.

The 21-year-old suspect, a rideshare driver from the Île-de-France region, was paid $346 to drive four men to the residence. Law enforcement officers recovered a crowbar, balaclavas, and cable ties from the vehicle’s passengers.

Both defendants, who had no prior criminal record, admitted to the charges, citing financial desperation, poor judgment, and greed.

The court convicted both men, citing the severity of the offense. The 20-year-old was sentenced to three years in prison, with 18 months suspended and 18 months to be served in custody. The 21-year-old received an 18-month sentence, with nine months suspended and nine months to be served. Both were banned from entering the Somme department for three years.

The victims were not present at the hearing. Their attorney stated the couple intends to sell the home due to ongoing safety concerns.

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