What began as a high-society drama in Manhattan’s SoHo district has evolved into an international criminal case, linking the volatile world of cryptocurrency to the brutal kidnapping of a young Italian man.
Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, a tourist in name only, was abducted and tortured for weeks in a luxury apartment before managing a narrow escape last Friday. His account triggered a rapid series of developments that culminated Tuesday with the voluntary surrender of William Duplessie, a Swiss national and co-founder of a trading company headquartered in Switzerland.
According to The New York Post, Duplessie turned himself in after spending the Memorial Day weekend in the Hamptons. His attorneys had reportedly coordinated with law enforcement in advance to arrange the surrender. Duplessie had recently been identified as a person of interest in the investigation.
The man already in custody, John Woeltz, a crypto entrepreneur from Kentucky, was arrested shortly after Carturan’s escape. Woeltz, known for flaunting a fortune valued at over $100 million — with a lifestyle that included private jets and helicopters — is believed to have masterminded the scheme to extort money from Carturan, with whom he had past business dealings.
According to investigators, the Italian national was held against his will and subjected to extreme physical and psychological abuse. Authorities allege he was whipped, threatened at gunpoint, injured with a chainsaw, and forced to endure degrading treatment over an extended period.
The investigation has also drawn in Beatrice Folchi, a 24-year-old with a background in communication and philosophy from the University of Connecticut. Folchi, who works in marketing, was initially arrested as an alleged accomplice to Woeltz. However, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has since opted not to pursue formal charges against her for now, pending the outcome of ongoing inquiries.
The case continues to capture widespread attention, casting a harsh spotlight on the often opaque intersections between tech wealth, personal rivalries, and criminal exploitation. For now, authorities believe the key suspects are in custody, but the investigation remains active as prosecutors build their case.
