NYC crypto kidnapping victim Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan’s dizzying view during alleged torture ordeal

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The Horrific Ordeal of Crypto Kidnapping Victim Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan

Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan likely faced a dizzying view when he was allegedly dangled over a five-story staircase while being tortured for his Bitcoin password. The real estate photos of the eight-bedroom, $21 million-dollar townhouse on Prince Street in SoHo depict the spiral, multi-level plunge he is believed to have faced during the harrowing ordeal.

Carturan, a 28-year-old native of Italy with a net worth of $30 million, suffered serious injuries during the 17 days he was held captive and abused in the townhouse. Manhattan prosecutors revealed that he was tied to a chair with electrical wire, tased while standing in water, cut with a chainsaw on his legs and arm, urinated on, and forced to take drugs.

This is the staircase the victim is believed to have been dangled over. Credit: Compas

His accused tormentors, crypto entrepreneur John Woeltz and Swiss businessman William Duplessie, also allegedly destroyed Carturan’s passport. Carturan managed to escape barefoot on May 23 and sought help from a traffic cop.

Victim dashing out of the house — The victim dashed out of the house, barefoot, when his captor looked the other way. Credit: WNBC

After his rescue, Carturan contacted the Italian consulate on the Upper East Side to get a new passport. His family, who owns a herbalist shop, has maintained confidentiality about the incident.

Carturan, who studied psychology before dropping out to trade crypto, traveled from Rivoli, Italy, to New York on May 6 to meet Woeltz. He was hoping to retrieve Bitcoin allegedly stolen from him by Woeltz and Duplessie, who then took him captive and threatened his life and his family’s unless he provided the password to his bitcoin wallet.

Woeltz, 37, from Kentucky, is believed to be worth $100 million. Polaroids found at the property depicted Carturan with a gun pointed at his head and being forced to smoke crack cocaine. The pair are scheduled to appear in court on June 11.