A crypto entrepreneur got himself in hot water when police discovered photos of a man being tied up and tortured in his luxury apartment in New York City. The victim, a tourist from Italy, claimed he endured over two weeks of torture at the hands of the suspect, identified as John Woeltz. The 28-year-old victim arrived in New York on May 6 and visited Woeltz’s home, where things took a dark turn.
Woeltz, 37, allegedly confiscated the man’s passport and subjected him to torture until he managed to escape on a Friday morning. The victim sought help from a traffic enforcement officer, who then alerted the authorities. The victim was promptly taken to the hospital for treatment. Woeltz was arrested on May 23, 2025, and made a perp walk as he was taken into custody.
The suspect appeared in court the following day and was held without bail on charges of kidnapping, assault, and unlawful imprisonment. He did not enter a plea during the hearing. The victim recounted a harrowing experience, claiming that Woeltz and an accomplice assaulted him, used electric shock, and even suspended him from a ledge when he refused to divulge his bitcoin password. The police investigation uncovered Polaroid pictures of the victim being tortured in Woeltz’s SoHo apartment, along with various torture implements. Additionally, a firearm was found in the residence.
