A South African teenager was found Thursday four days after he was kidnapped by a gang who demanded a ransom in bitcoin cryptocurrency worth about $123,000 (105,000 euros), police said. Local media published a ransom note left at the scene demanding 15 bitcoins and giving an address for a bitcoin “wallet” — an internet location where the virtual currency can be stashed. The parents are by the side with their son and the police are also with him.”The case appeared to be the first ransom demand in South Africa made in virtual currency. In March, US hackers demanding a ransom payable in bitcoin attacked computers of the Atlanta city government in the southern state of Georgia. Police in South Africa, where violent crime is common, have reported a recent rise in kidnappings, although it is often wealthy business people who are targeted.

Source: Punch May 24, 2018 15:45 UTC