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Crypto millionaire’s wife kidnapped outside home in chilling €1M ransom plot and court says ‘masterminds still at large’

Belgian court sentences three men to 12 years for the violent abduction of crypto investor Stéphane Winkel’s wife—but warns the true architects of the crime remain unidentified.

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Crypto Investor’s Wife Kidnapped for Ransom in Belgium as Court Sentences Three Men
Stéphane Winkel and his wife were forced into hiding after the crypto-linked kidnapping—authorities believe more suspects are still at large.

In a terrifying case that shook Belgium’s tech and finance circles, the Brussels Criminal Court has sentenced three men to 12 years in prison each for their roles in the kidnapping of the wife of crypto entrepreneur Stéphane Winkel.

The abduction took place in December 2024, when the kidnappers targeted Winkel’s wife outside her residence, forcibly dragging her into a van and demanding a cryptocurrency ransom. The calculated attack ended dramatically when Belgian police, alerted by Winkel, executed a high-risk maneuver to intercept the vehicle, rescue the victim, and arrest the perpetrators.

Despite the dramatic rescue and convictions, the court issued a chilling statement: the real masterminds behind the kidnapping remain at large.


The convicts were also ordered to pay at least €1 million ($1.2 million) in civil damages to the victim. However, all three attempted to defend themselves in court by claiming they were threatened into the crime—a defense the judges rejected outright.

The case has also involved a minor, whose trial is being handled separately by juvenile authorities.


Crypto under attack: When digital wealth becomes a real-world risk

The incident has deeply impacted Winkel, who runs popular educational platforms like Crypto Académie and Crypto Sun, as well as a YouTube channel with nearly 40,000 subscribers.

Following the attack, Winkel and his wife were reportedly forced to relocate for safety reasons. In a heartfelt post on X (formerly Twitter), Winkel wrote:

“I consider myself a defender of freedom, but I now realize that safety must become an absolute priority for me and those around me.”

He also pledged to revamp his public presence, announcing that he would no longer host wallet giveaways or show his face on camera. His comeback video in June featured only voiceover narration and focused purely on education and market analysis—signaling a new, more cautious chapter in his crypto advocacy.



A growing global concern

Winkel’s story is not an isolated case—it’s part of an alarming global trend of crypto-related kidnappings.

In June, French authorities reported a case involving the kidnapping of a 23-year-old man, with attackers demanding €5,000 in cash and the private key to a Ledger hardware wallet.

And just a month earlier, in a more high-profile incident, the daughter and grandson of Pierre Noizat—CEO of Paymium, one of Europe’s oldest crypto exchanges—were the targets of a kidnapping attempt.

These attacks underscore the dark side of digital wealth: while assets may be decentralized and secure online, their owners remain vulnerable in the physical world.


What now?

As Belgian authorities continue to hunt for the real orchestrators of this crime, the case serves as a grim reminder: public exposure in crypto can come at a devastating personal cost.

The crypto community is now being urged to reconsider online behavior, avoid flaunting digital wealth, and enhance real-world security measures—especially those with a high public profile.

“I will share my experience to help others avoid such situations,” Winkel promised, turning his trauma into a lesson for the broader crypto ecosystem.

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Ripple CTO Confession About Censoring Ozzy Osbourne Sparks Emotional Internet Storm

Ripple CTO David Schwartz admits he faked fan questions and censored Ozzy Osbourne during a Q&A session and now calls it one of his biggest regrets

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Ripple CTO Confession About Censoring Ozzy Osbourne Sparks Emotional Internet Storm
Ripple CTO admits he censored Ozzy Osbourne during fan Q&A and regrets faking the authenticity of the interaction

In a heartfelt and unexpected confession, David Schwartz, the Chief Technology Officer of Ripple, has admitted that he once censored Ozzy Osbourne and faked questions during what was intended to be a real-time Q&A session with fans of Black Sabbath. The revelation came via a post on X (formerly Twitter), just days after the legendary rock icon Ozzy Osbourne passed away at the age of 76.


The Ripple CTO shared that the incident occurred during his tenure at WebMaster, a company where he was tasked with facilitating a fan conference using the firm’s ConferenceRoom software. His role? To listen to band members over the phone and type their responses live as fan questions were asked — except that’s not what really happened.

I cheated,” Schwartz confessed. “To me personally, it was a failure, but to everyone else it was a success.

Fans Only Wanted Ozzy

According to Schwartz, it became obvious very quickly that fans only cared about Ozzy. “Every question was for Ozzy,” he said, noting that he even asked moderators to steer questions to other band members — but there simply weren’t any.

Ripple CTO Confession About Censoring Ozzy Osbourne Sparks Emotional Internet Storm


To avoid leaving the rest of the band out, Schwartz said he began using a list of pre-written canned questions. These questions had been prepared in case of technical glitches but ultimately served as filler to make it appear that the other band members were getting engagement.

I passed a canned question to each of the other band members in rotation. And I mixed what I could make out of what they said with the canned answer from their manager.

The Ripple CTO said that while the event appeared to go smoothly to the audience, internally he felt it was a complete failure — primarily because it lacked the authenticity and fan engagement that had been promised.

Cleaning Up Ozzy’s Language

The confession didn’t end there. Schwartz went on to reveal that Ozzy Osbourne’s responses were heavily laced with profanity, particularly the C-word — and not the mild kind.

Ozzy’s answer featured the C-word a lot. The bad C-word. The one that Americans really don’t like to say. It was pretty close to the only word I could hear clearly.

Given the poor call quality and the explicit content, Schwartz admitted to censoring Ozzy’s language as he typed out the responses, which meant fans weren’t hearing the raw, unfiltered Ozzy that they likely expected.

A Moment of Regret and Reflection

Now, in the wake of Ozzy Osbourne’s passing, Schwartz says he regrets the inauthentic exchange more than ever. What was meant to be an opportunity for fans to connect with a musical legend was instead a scripted, sanitized interaction.


It wasn’t the authentic interaction with celebrities that I wanted it to be and that I tried to make it,” he wrote. Only “two or three” legitimate questions ever made it to the band.

This bittersweet confession adds an emotional layer to the outpouring of tributes for Ozzy, who was a cultural icon in both music and pop culture. Known for his wild personality, dark humor, and groundbreaking contributions to heavy metal, Osbourne’s legacy continues to resonate across generations.

Ripple CTO Confession About Censoring Ozzy Osbourne Sparks Emotional Internet Storm


Memecoins and Market Reactions
Interestingly, Ozzy’s death also had an impact on the crypto space. A memecoin titled The Mad Man (OZZY) surged over 16,800%, reaching a price of $0.003851 and pushing its market cap to $3.85 million, according to a report by Cointelegraph.

It’s unclear if Schwartz’s confession will impact Ripple’s brand perception, but his honesty has certainly sparked discussions around authenticity in digital interactions and celebrity engagement.

In the end, the Ripple CTO’s admission isn’t just about an old chatroom mishap. It’s about the desire to do right by artists and fans — and a reminder that, even in tech-driven spaces, authenticity matters.

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Crypto

16 Day Surge Spot Ether ETFs Add 453 Million in Inflows and Investors Say This Is Just the Beginning

Spot Ether ETFs continue their explosive streak with $453 million in inflows led by BlackRock as bullish momentum shows no signs of slowing

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Spot Ether ETFs attract $453M in daily inflows led by BlackRock, extending their streak to 16 days and signaling rising Ethereum demand from institutions.
Spot Ether ETFs continue momentum with $453M inflow day as Ethereum demand surges

In an unprecedented run that has crypto bulls cheering, spot Ether ETFs have now notched their 16th consecutive day of net inflows, with Friday alone contributing a staggering $452.72 million, according to fresh data from SoSoValue. The bulk of that came from BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA), which alone pulled in $440.10 million, pushing its total assets under management to an industry-leading $10.69 billion.

The cumulative momentum of spot Ether ETFs has propelled total net assets across all U.S.-based funds to $20.66 billion, now representing 4.64% of Ethereum’s total market cap. With cumulative net inflows reaching $9.33 billion since their launch, Ether ETF adoption is clearly gathering pace—particularly among institutional investors betting big on Ethereum‘s long-term utility in DeFi, staking, and smart contracts.

Spot Ether ETFs attract $453M in daily inflows led by BlackRock, extending their streak to 16 days and signaling rising Ethereum demand from institutions.

With surging interest in stablecoins and tokenization, we expect strong ETH ETP inflows for a long time to come,” noted Matt Hougan, Chief Investment Officer at Bitwise, on X earlier this week.

BlackRock Dominates While Grayscale Lags

While BlackRock continues to dominate the leaderboard in the spot Ether ETF landscape, Bitwise’s ETHW trailed far behind with $9.95 million in inflows. Fidelity’s FETH also added a modest $7.30 million. On the flip side, Grayscale’s ETHE saw continued redemptions, logging a $23.49 million net outflow on the day, bringing its cumulative losses to a staggering $4.29 billion.

This divergence in performance among issuers is becoming increasingly pronounced, as investors flock toward more transparent and lower-fee funds offered by BlackRock and Fidelity, while older legacy products like Grayscale’s ETHE lose their shine.

Institutional Demand Outpacing Supply

What’s driving the surge in spot Ether ETFs? Experts say it’s a mix of improved regulatory clarity, Ethereum’s growing dominance in decentralized finance, and a belief that ETH will play a central role in future tokenized financial systems.

Matt Hougan estimates demand for Ether via ETFs and other exchange-traded products (ETPs) could reach $20 billion in the coming year, equivalent to 5.33 million ETH at current prices. That’s particularly significant when compared with Ethereum’s estimated issuance of just 0.8 million ETH in the same time frame — a mismatch that could lead to a supply squeeze.

Spot Ether ETFs attract $453M in daily inflows led by BlackRock, extending their streak to 16 days and signaling rising Ethereum demand from institutions.

We’re looking at a scenario where demand may outpace new ETH issuance by nearly 7X, said Hougan.

Spot Ether ETFs Outshine Bitcoin Counterparts

While spot Bitcoin ETFs also posted a rebound with $130.69 million in net inflows on Friday, they trailed Ether funds significantly. Bitcoin ETFs had seen three consecutive days of outflows earlier in the week totaling over $285 million, suggesting some rotation of investor interest toward Ethereum-based products.

Despite this, the cumulative total for spot Bitcoin ETF inflows remains higher, at $54.82 billion, with total net assets standing at $151.45 billion.

However, recent enthusiasm and performance metrics clearly favor spot Ether ETFs, especially as Ethereum’s broader use case continues to attract forward-thinking institutional players.

Will the 16-Day Streak Continue?

With daily inflows still going strong — including peak days like $726.74 million on July 16 — analysts are watching closely to see just how long this bullish streak in spot Ether ETFs can last. Since the streak began on July 2, total net inflows have more than doubled from $4.25 billion to over $9.33 billion.

Ether ETFs


And with Ethereum’s upcoming ecosystem upgrades, including developments around Layer 2 scaling, restaking, and more robust institutional-grade staking solutions, there’s reason to believe that investor appetite for spot Ether ETFs is far from satisfied.

Final Thoughts

This historic 16-day streak in spot Ether ETFs not only highlights a turning point in crypto investing but also shows how Ethereum’s evolving role in finance is driving real-world demand. While BlackRock leads the charge, the entire industry appears to be gaining ground in reshaping traditional portfolios.

If this trajectory holds, 2025 might just be the year Ethereum goes fully institutional.

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Business

1-Tesla’s Earnings Vanish From the Conversation as Elon Musk Talks Robots and “Someday Soon” Dreams

With profits plunging and sales collapsing, Elon Musk dodges hard questions in Tesla’s earnings call — and Wall Street is finally noticing

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Tesla Earnings Ignored as Elon Musk Shifts Focus to Robots and AI Dreams
Tesla CEO Elon Musk discusses robotaxis and humanoid robots while earnings and vehicle sales slide — investors left with more questions than answers.


On Wednesday night, Tesla released its second-quarter earnings report, and by Thursday morning, its stock was down over 8%. The reason? Crashing car sales, shrinking profits, and looming federal tax credit cuts. But you wouldn’t know any of that if you only tuned into the company’s investor call.

0x0 1 Daily Global Diary - Authentic Global News


In an hour-long earnings call that barely mentioned the word “earnings,” Elon Musk steered the narrative toward Tesla’s future as an AI and robotics empire, not its present-day struggles as an automaker. Musk painted a grand picture of humanoid robots, robotaxis, and a sci-fi-style future where Tesla isn’t just building cars — it’s revolutionizing technology.

“We’re in a weird transition period,” Musk admitted during a brief moment of candor, referencing the upcoming loss of the $7,500 federal EV tax credit and vanishing regulatory credit sales — both key profit drivers for the company.

But that was it. The rest of the call was a futuristic detour. Analysts asked about Full Self-Driving, the Optimus robot, and other projects that still live more in concept than in consumer garages. Meanwhile, the elephant in the room — Tesla’s collapsing sales and shrinking margins — was quietly ignored.

image 1304694206 Daily Global Diary - Authentic Global News


And Wall Street noticed.

“The company offered remarkably little detail on some of the most important factors,” said William Stein of Truist, expressing concern that the outlook now depends more on imagination than realistic numbers.

Even Dan Ives, a longtime Tesla optimist from Wedbush Securities, expressed disappointment.

“It wasn’t a Hall of Fame call,” he told CNN, admitting that “communication was less than stellar.”

And still, Musk kept talking about the future. A future where Tesla sells millions of Cybertrucks, a future where cars drive coast to coast without human input, and a future where robots handle everyday tasks.

“Someday soon,” Musk implied again and again — without concrete timelines or deliverables.

The irony? Tesla’s stock valuation — still one of the highest in the world — depends heavily on those very promises. That’s what makes investors nervous. As Gordon L. Johnson, one of Tesla’s most vocal critics, put it:

“The key to convincing the market you’re not just a car company is to avoid discussing your car business… If you’re trying to justify a trillion-dollar valuation while your core business stagnates, it helps to keep the details as fuzzy as your timeline.”

And fuzzy, it was.

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While sales continue to slide and profit margins shrink for the third consecutive quarter, the conversation has shifted from earnings reports to sci-fi storytelling. But investors are starting to question how long that strategy can hold.

“Tesla has stopped being a car company that talks about technology,” one analyst noted. “It’s now a tech dream that avoids talking about cars.”

This transition might excite futurists, but for shareholders who are watching red numbers on earnings sheets, it raises tough questions:

wall Street’s sharp selloff suggests the market is growing impatient with promises without performance.
For a company that once revolutionized electric vehicles, Tesla now risks being seen as more hype than hardware.
Investors are increasingly demanding transparency and tangible results, not just ambitious tech forecasts.
Even longtime believers are starting to ask: How long can Tesla ride on “someday soon”?
As profits decline and competition from legacy automakers heats up, the pressure is mounting.
Meanwhile, the public still hasn’t seen the affordable Tesla that’s been teased for years.
Without clearer answers, Tesla’s dream of being an AI-first company may be a tough sell on the trading floor.
Investors don’t just want vision — they want viability.
And right now, Tesla’s balance sheet tells a different story than Musk’s microphone.
Until the company bridges the gap between imagination and execution, confidence may continue to erode.
For more Update http://www.dailyglobaldiary.com

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