NEW YORK— Lawyers for two men accused of kidnapping and torturing a 28-year-old Italian national over his cryptocurrency holdings presented a striking new narrative in Manhattan criminal court Wednesday: the alleged victim, they said, wasn’t being held captive at all.
Instead, attorneys claim he was seen in photos and videos “laughing and smiling,” frequenting shops and clubs, and even participating in group sex and drug use during the very days he claimed to be under brutal captivity. The revelations have added a dramatic twist to an already sensational case that has gripped the city’s crypto and legal communities.
Suspects Plead Not Guilty as Defence Challenges Narrative
William Duplessie, 32, and John Woeltz, 37, pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping, assault, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a weapon. Both were ordered to remain in custody until their next hearing on July 15. If convicted, they could face life in prison.
Prosecutors allege the pair lured the man to a luxury townhouse in Manhattan’s SoHo neighbourhood on May 6 by threatening to kill his family, then subjected him to 17 days of abuse. According to the accuser, they beat him, used electrical wires to torment him, and at one point dangled him from a five-story staircase. The ordeal allegedly ended when he escaped barefoot and bloodied, flagging down a police officer nearby.
But defence lawyers challenged that depiction in court.
“The Story He’s Selling Doesn’t Make Sense,” Defence Says
Sam Talkin, Duplessie’s attorney, argued that the alleged victim’s actions during those 17 days contradicted his claims of torture and captivity. Talkin said video footage showed the man “laughing and smiling the whole time,” including while smoking crack cocaine and engaging in group sex.
In another photo, the man is seen at an eyeglass store accompanied by one of the defendants, raising questions, Talkin said, about why he didn’t alert staff or attempt to flee.
“The story that he is selling doesn’t make sense,” Talkin told the court.
Woeltz’s lawyer, Wayne Gosnell, added that witnesses reported seeing the man leave the townhouse freely and attend dinners, church services, and clubs, further casting doubt on his account.
Prosecutors Say Appearances Are Deceiving
Assistant District Attorney Sarah Khan dismissed the defence’s claims, arguing that selectively leaked images were being used to distort the truth. “In reality,” she said, “the accuser was constantly watched, was not permitted to leave the house without being guarded and was subjected to violence.”
Khan described harrowing acts of abuse: the man was pistol-whipped, cut with a small chainsaw, and photographed in humiliating and threatening positions. One image, Khan noted, shows the accuser tied to a wheelchair. Another depicts the suspects pointing a gun at his head. In yet another, he is shown being set on fire, though Khan clarified the flames were quickly extinguished, sometimes by the suspects urinating on him, to prevent lasting injuries.
She said the suspects intentionally created images of the victim in compromising or casual settings to create the illusion that he was a willing participant, despite the abuse.
A Pattern of Abuse?
Khan also revealed that prosecutors are investigating two additional potential victims in other locations, suggesting this may not have been an isolated case. The defendants, she said, had allegedly lured the current accuser to meet them multiple times before under the guise of friendly contact only to threaten and rob him of his devices and digital assets.
To date, Khan noted, the man has not received his cryptocurrency or electronic devices back.
Bail Denied Amid Flight Risk Concerns
Despite the defence’s push for $1 million bail and home confinement with their parents, the court sided with prosecutors in keeping both men in custody. Talkin insisted his client was not a flight risk, saying, “He’s ready to fight this case. He’s not going anywhere.”
The defendants appeared in court handcuffed and wearing prison uniforms, speaking only to formally enter their pleas.
Cryptocurrency, Coercion, and Credibility
The bizarre and deeply troubling allegations set against the backdrop of the secretive and often volatile world of cryptocurrency now hinge on whether the court believes the accuser was truly a prisoner or a participant. With conflicting evidence emerging from both sides, the case promises to test not only the limits of the legal system but also the complexities of truth in the digital age.
