Forced to take cocaine, threatened with chainsaw: How crypto investor escaped NYC torture chamber | World News

A cryptocurrency investor from Kentucky allegedly held and tortured an Italian businessman in a luxury flat in Manhattan for over two weeks in a bid to steal his digital currency passwords, according to reports.
The businessman, 28, managed to escape the apartment on Prince Street in SoHo on Friday morning and ran to a police officer for help. He told police he had been held captive and tortured, quoting unnamed sources.
John Woeltz, 37, was arrested shortly afterwards. He is facing charges including kidnapping, assault, unlawful imprisonment and weapon possession.
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Photos found at the scene reportedly showed the victim tied up with electrical wires. In one image, he appeared to be bound to a chair with a gun pointed at him, New York Post sources said.
The alleged abuse included being tasered while his feet were in water, pol-whipped, forced to take cocaine, and threatened with an electric chainsaw. The Post said the man had a cut on his arm believed to have been caused the chainsaw.
The flat was being rented for $30,000 to $40,000 a month, according to the report.
The police sources as saying the businessman had flown in from Italy on 6 May to meet Woeltz, with whom he had previous business dealings. Once inside the flat, Woeltz allegedly took his passport and tied him up.Story continues below this ad
Police found Polaroid pictures of the alleged torture and various items including broken glass, night vision goggles, a gun, a bulletproof vest and an Apple AirTag — which the victim said had been placed around his neck to track him in case he tried to escape.
The man told police he believed he was going to be killed on Friday, so he made his escape that morning.
Beatrice Folchi, 24, of Manhattan, was also arrested and charged with kidnapping and unlawful imprisonment.
Two other people linked to Woeltz were also being questioned police, the Post said.Story continues below this ad
A photographer working near, Ciaran Tully, told the New York Post he saw a man in a robe being taken away in handcuffs. “This is definitely the strangest thing I’ve seen in my time here,” he said.
A local jewellery seller told the Post that the people renting the flat gave off a “weird vibe.” He said, “I knew there was something strange going on. I just assumed they were filming something.”
The NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit searched the apartment for other possible victims but found none, according to the report.
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd

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