A man from Kentucky, aged 37 and involved in cryptocurrency investing, has been charged following an incident where an Italian visitor managed to escape after enduring weeks of captivity and mistreatment in a lavish Manhattan apartment. The victim sought help from a traffic agent on May 23, which led to the arrest of John Woeltz at the Nolita property. It is believed that the victim and Woeltz had previous business interactions that turned sour, resulting in the reported kidnapping.

Investigations suggest that Woeltz deceived the 28-year-old tourist, inviting him back to New York under false pretenses, confiscating his passport, and confining him in an upscale rented apartment in Nolita, costing $30,000-$40,000 per month. The victim suffered various forms of abuse during the two weeks of captivity, including being bound with electrical cords, subjected to repeated electrocution while his feet were immersed in water, and intimidated with physical violence using a gun and an electric chainsaw.

Furthermore, the victim was forced to ingest drugs and had an Apple AirTag placed around his neck to monitor his movements by the captors. The police recovered evidence such as Polaroid pictures of the abuse, a firearm, night-vision goggles, broken glass, and tools believed to be used for torture. The victim incurred a severe injury consistent with a chainsaw wound.

Woeltz was a part of Kentucky's 2021 Blockchain Technology Working Group and had involvement in Ethereum hackathons, showcasing his expertise in smart-contract applications. Despite his active participation in tech events and projects, there is limited information about him online, indicating he might prefer to keep a low social media profile.

The police are investigating whether Woeltz had accomplices involved in the incident, with two other individuals currently detained for questioning. The case has caused shock within both the cryptocurrency community and the victim's family in Italy. Prosecutors are preparing charges, and the specific details of the charges are yet to be disclosed.