A man was arrested on Friday after he was accused of kidnapping an Italian tourist and torturing weeks inside the Manhattan house in an attempt to steal the alleged victim, according to officials, sources of law enforcement with direct knowledge of the investigation and criminal complaint.
The law enforcement sources said that the victim managed to escape home and run for help on Friday morning. John Walltz, 37, was detained on the same day and It was called on Saturday In one of the operations, each of the second -degree attack, kidnapping, illegal imprisonment and criminal possession of a firearm, as the court records appear.
Sources of law enforcement near the investigation said that Woeltz and the tourist, along with a third person, were working together for years. The police are still looking for the third trade partner, who has not been publicly identified.
The sources said that Woeltz and the other person claim that violence with the victim in the past, but unprecedented. They described the relationship between the three as very complicated, and they said that the victim often chose the two men.
Woeltz’s lawyer refused to comment on Saturday. The judge granted a request to keep Woeltz during a Saturday trial. The next court history is Wednesday.
It is claimed that the Italian man detained and tortured him for 17 days
Law enforcement sources said that the tourist, a 28 -year -old man visited from Italy, met his alleged kidnapper on May 6. They said that Woez took the younger man to a house he was renting in Nolita, alive in Manhattan.
According to a criminal complaint, Woeltz and “unlimited male” kidnapped the victim, took his electronics and passport, and tortured him until he managed to escape after weeks.
The couple tried to get the tourist to give them the password for his bitcoin account so that they could steal the electronic currency, and when he refused, they shocked them with electric wires and hit him in his head for weeks, according to the complaint.
Woez and the other man faced a pistol at the head of the victim several times, and monitored him on the edge of the upper stairs at home and threatened to kill him if he did not reveal the word of his passage, according to the complaint, who also claimed that the husband threatened to kill his family.
The tourists also told the officials that men linked his wrists and linked him to prevent him from moving, according to the complaint.
Law enforcement sources added that men urinate on the victim and put a portfolio of apples around his neck to ensure that there is no escape.
Upon escaping, the 28 -year -old faced a traffic agent who called the police to the home on Prince Street. He told the agent that he was transferred and detained against his will and that he was repeatedly assaulted during his captivity.
The police said the alleged victim was taken to the hospital in a stable condition. The law enforcement sources said that when he approached the officers on Friday, he was covered with discounts and bruises with signs of his wrists where he was obligated.
Evidence was found in the house of the suspect in Manhattan
Law enforcement sources said Woeltz is a prominent cryptocurrency dealer from Kentucky, estimated at about $ 100 million. They said the victim had $ 30 million.
According to what was reported, Woez is renting the residence of Prince Street at a monthly rate ranging between 30,000 dollars and 40,000 dollars, according to the sources. Online existing The house says that the last time was rented in March for $ 75,000.
Law enforcement sources said that there are cases of alcohol throughout the six -storey housing, as well as pillars stripped in the basement.
These sources said that the officers had provided multiple photos from the Polaroid to the victim who was linked and tortured at home. According to the investigators, the investigators have regained many elements of torture.
Law enforcement sources said that the investigators on Saturday found a weapon, believed to be the same thing used to torture the victim.
The neighbor was shocked by the details of the detention
Jennifer Cruford lives through the street, where the events were revealed on Friday morning and saw Woez.
She told NBC News: “I have seen, for example, Swat’s youth out of the truck with their shields and everything and enter the building, and they just started in the rope of the area and screaming everyone. It seemed as if they were in a state of panic.”
She said she was shocked when she started learning more allegations.
She said, “I just stood up and frozen.” “A lot of things that continue here in New York. You can imagine, I have seen a lot, but this is the most strange thing that I saw in 30 years in this neighborhood. I mean, this goes beyond what you can describe or imagine.”
Crawford said she could not imagine a person’s motive with a lot of wealth that commits this type of crime.
She said: “All this money in the world did not do anything, that will not help it.” “Just not logical, do you know?”
On Saturday, hundreds of people by the city’s house in Manhattan passed by whispering with the details of the case. Some even took selfies in front of the house with the iron fence wrapped in the police tape.
Police officials and investigators inside and outside the house were on Saturday, and several permanent guardians were at the forefront and recommending those who pass to Google the home address to learn more.
