A 37-year-old cryptocurrency investor appeared in court on Saturday after being accused of kidnapping and torturing an Italian tourist.
John Woeltz, who is originally from Kentucky, was charged in New York Criminal Court at 9:00 EST (14:00 BST). He faces several charges including kidnapping for ransom, assault, and unlawful imprisonment, according to court records.
A second suspect, 24-year-old Beatrice Folchi, was also arrested on Saturday in connection with the case, CBS News reported.
Police said the pair were taken into custody after the victim managed to escape a luxury townhome in SoHo. He had allegedly been held there for several weeks, bound and tortured.
The 28-year-old Italian tourist, whose name has not been released, is now in hospital and in stable condition. Officers discovered Polaroid photos showing the victim tied up, as well as firearms inside the home, according to media reports.
The victim told police he arrived in New York from Italy on 6 May and went directly to Woeltz’s residence. He claims Woeltz took his passport and held him captive until his escape last Friday morning.
According to ABC News, the victim said Woeltz and another person beat him and once hanged him off a ledge. The assault reportedly occurred after he refused to share his bitcoin password.
Woeltz has been renting the SoHo property for $30,000 to $40,000 (£22,000–£30,000) per month, according to CBS News.
Authorities are continuing their investigation.
