The parents of the man allegedly held captive and tortured by crypto bros in Manhattan got regular updates saying he was OK, The Post has learned.
Italian national Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, 28, was allegedly held from May 6 to 23 in a luxury apartment on Prince Street for by John Woeltz and William Duplessie, who stand charged with tying up Carturan and torturing him for his digital wallet containing an estimated $28m in digital currency, according to cops.
However, sources in Italy say through the apparent kidnap “Michael’s phone and his parents exchanged messages on WhatsApp,” although sources pointed out it was possible the alleged kidnappers had been sending the messages so as not to raise the alarm.
Carturan’s reclusive parents, Maurizio and Lidia, only learned of the kidnap on May 25 when a family friend, Pietro Zucchetti, informed them, according to sources.
However, the family were seemingly on high alert and had recently hired private security, according to a source, who also said they had put their $1m home in Rivoli, near Turin, up for sale.
New York prosecutors have also said they believe the lives of Carturan’s family in Italy had been threatened during the kidnapping period.
Maurizio confirmed to Italian newspaper La Repubblica he had recieved texts he assumed were from his son through the ‘kidnap’ period.
A neighbor told The Post Carturan has recently started travelling around the world a lot, although they said they had no idea what line of business he was in.
Carturan had previously worked on Zucchetti’s farm, and he described him as a “curious young man, not one to seek out trouble.”
Videos which show Carturan seemingly partaking in parties at the house and talking about drugs were published this week by TMZ, although in some videos he appears to be restrained to a wheelchair or led by a leash around his neck. Reports also say he was monitored with an Apple AirTag around his neck to ensure he didn’t leave the house.
No missing person report was filed by Carturan’s family, who were shocked when they found out what had happened to him and immediately went to ground. They declined approaches for comment from The Post.
Carturan’s father Maurizio – an author who has written 10 books about alchemy and spirituality – deleted all of his social media accounts and closed the family’s shop selling herbal remedies.
The parents then traveled to New York, where they met with the Italian Consul General in New York. His deputy took them to see Carturan at the local District Attorney’s Office, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The Post.
The Italian Consul General said it is working with US authorities in the case and assisting them in matters of the Carturan family.
Carturan escaped from the alleged ordeal on May 23 and flagged down a nearby traffic cop. He was taken to hospital, where he was treated for injuries sustained from allegedly being pistol-whipped, dangled from the top of a staircase, urinated on and having his arms and legs cut with a chainsaw. Woeltz was arrested the same day, Duplessie a few days later.
Woeltz, dubbed the Crypto King of Kentucky, is said to have a private jet and live a high octane party lifestyle alongside Duplessie.
They are both held in custody on charges including kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, assault and weapons possession.
At Duplessie’s arraignment last week his lawyer claimed the criminal case will “begin to unravel” as more details come out.
“The facts here are hotly disputed, his involvement is hotly disputed,” attorney Sanford Talkin told the judge during the hearing.
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