The man, whose identity has been withheld to protect his children, detailed the harrowing events in an interview with La Presse. He recounted how two masked men initially approached his home before fleeing when he refused to let them inside. Days later, he encountered hooded individuals near his house and later on the road while taking his daughter to daycare.

In a dramatic confrontation, one of the suspects pointed a handgun at him, prompting the man to use pepper spray in self-defense. Subsequent police investigations revealed that the attackers believed he owned 2.5 million bitcoin (BTC)—a staggering sum worth billions—based on his social media activity. The man clarified that his bitcoin holdings were valued at only around $10,000.

“The guys had equipment to torture me,” he told La Presse. “They had a 2-foot-by-2-foot tarp with a hole in the middle, and claws around it, to cut off a limb and stop the bleeding. It’s incredibly violent.”

Arrests and Lingering Fears

Police arrested two adults and two juveniles in connection with the case, charging them with conspiracy to kidnap and possession of prohibited firearms. However, the suspects, who reportedly had no prior criminal records, were released under house arrest pending a trial scheduled for March. This decision has left the victim and his family fearing for their safety, as police reportedly advised them that they could not provide 24/7 protection.

The family has since been living off their savings, moving from one Airbnb to another in an effort to stay hidden. “It’s part of police work to meet victims and explain to them that we cannot ensure their safety 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” a spokesperson for the Sûreté du Québec police told La Presse.

A System Under Scrutiny

The bail decision has sparked debate about victim protection and the justice system’s handling of such cases. University of Montreal criminologist Chloé Leclerc expressed surprise at the decision but noted that house arrest is a restrictive condition of release. She emphasized that in Canada’s criminal justice system, where the presumption of innocence prevails, pretrial incarceration is typically reserved for exceptional cases.

For the victim, however, the fear remains palpable. The attackers’ release has intensified his concerns about their potential ties to organized crime, leaving his family in a state of perpetual uncertainty.

As the trial approaches, the outcome will likely reignite discussions about the balance between the presumption of innocence for suspects and the safety of victims in Canada’s justice system. For the victim and his family, however, the immediate priority remains their safety in an environment that has offered little reassurance.