Longtime Friends Turned Threatening
For months, two cryptocurrency investors pressured their longtime friend to hand over his electronic devices and the passkey to a crypto account worth millions of dollars, according to prosecutors and an internal police report.
The investors, John Woeltz and William Duplessie, met with the man, Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, three times. At the first meeting, outside Manhattan, the men persuaded Carturan to surrender some of his devices and a crypto passkey, prosecutors said.
False Promises and Rising Threats
Months later, Woeltz and Duplessie invited Carturan to New York for a second meeting, assuring him that they would return the money. But instead, prosecutors said, they demanded more devices. Feeling threatened, Carturan complied once again.
Still, prosecutors allege the men wanted more. A third meeting, on May 6, escalated into kidnapping and brutal torture, including electrocution, pistol-whipping, and being set on fire.
A Luxury Townhouse Turned into a Torture Site
These new details were revealed Wednesday as prosecutors unsealed a 12-count indictment charging Woeltz and Duplessie with first-degree kidnapping, assault, and other crimes. The pair had already faced charges of torture and kidnapping filed last month in a lower court.
According to prosecutors, Carturan was held captive inside a luxury townhouse in Manhattan for nearly three weeks, enduring repeated abuse and forced attempts to extract more digital wealth.
First Joint Court Appearance Draws Attention
In court on Wednesday, the two appeared together for the first time since their arrests, seated in prison jumpsuits and handcuffed, flanked by attorneys and New York State court officers. The courtroom was packed with reporters and photographers, underscoring the case’s wide attention.
Defense: It Was a Voluntary Bender
Lawyers for both men argued that Carturan was not a victim but rather a willing participant in a wild three-week binge. They cited witnesses and video evidence of Carturan allegedly laughing, partying, using drugs, and engaging in consensual activity while at the townhouse.
Carturan went out to clubs, dinners, and even church, they said. At times, he walked freely around the neighborhood, which, they argued, contradicted claims of captivity.
“He had the opportunity to say, ‘Hey, I’m being tortured,’” said Sanford Talkin, Duplessie’s attorney. “He didn’t, because that wasn’t the case.”
Crypto Ties, A Falling Out, and a Dangerous Return
The saga began with a soured business relationship. Carturan and Woeltz had ties to a New York crypto hedge fund but fell out over financial disputes. Carturan then flew to Italy, only to return to New York on May 6 at Woeltz’s urging.
Shockingly, a New York Police Department detective, Roberto Cordero — reportedly part of Mayor Eric Adams’s security detail — drove Carturan from the airport to the townhouse. Cordero and another officer are now under investigation for their roles.
Weeks of Abuse Behind Closed Doors
Once inside the townhouse, Woeltz and Duplessie allegedly confiscated Carturan’s phone and began a campaign of torture to extract more digital assets. They are accused of urinating on him, binding him with electrical cords, and even using a small chainsaw to inflict injury, prosecutors said.
At one point, Carturan was forced to pose for photos meant to create the illusion that he was not being held against his will.
A Barefoot Escape Ends a Nightmare
On May 23, Carturan managed to escape after Woeltz left the room. He ran barefoot and bleeding through the streets of NoLIta, eventually finding a traffic agent and asking for help.
Surveillance video from NBC 4 captured the moment he fled, appearing visibly distressed. He later gave a full statement to police.
Others Under Investigation, Federal Agencies Join In
Another person present at the townhouse, Beatrice Folchi, 24, was also charged with kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment, but prosecutors later deferred her case and she was released.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is now involved, investigating Woeltz and Duplessie’s ties to a home in Smithland, Kentucky, where 16 legally-owned firearms were seized earlier this year.
