“A huge relief”: the first words of Éric Larchevêque after the kidnapping and then release of his associate

Once announced as the target of the kidnappers, before we learned that it was his partner, the very media business manager and co-founder of Ledger Éric Larchevêque spoke this Thursday evening, in a post published on X, a few hours after the releases of David Balland, co-founder with him of the company specializing in cryptocurrency, and his wife.

“I feel immense relief and profound joy to know that my friend and associate David, as well as his wife, have been released,” writes the businessman, known for his participation in the show “Who Wants to Be My partner ? » on M 6, sending his “sincere thanks and my respect to the police, with particular mention to the GIGN, for their exceptional work and their dedication”.

“I would also like to express my gratitude for the numerous messages of support received, particularly in the face of the unfounded rumors which have circulated concerning my own safety,” writes Éric Larchevêque. While law enforcement interventions were underway near Vierzon (Cher), where his associate was kidnapped, some had assumed that Éric Larchevêque himself had been kidnapped. Ledger quickly denied this information.

“We are deeply relieved to learn of the release of David and his wife and to know they are safe and sound,” Ledger CEO Pascal Gauthier said in a press release sent to Le Parisien, indicating that he had “made contact” with him. “We also share the emotion of the members of our team, and in particular those who worked with him at Ledger until 2021,” continues the business leader. Although he obviously remained a co-founder, David Balland had moved away to work at Le Center and Ocel, two companies he had co-founded in Vierzon, in the virtual reality sector.

Ten suspects arrested

David Balland and his wife were kidnapped on Tuesday and sequestered separately, in Châteauroux (Indre) for him and in Étampes (Essonne) for her. The kidnappers demanded several million euros against their release, to be paid in cryptocurrencies. A finger of the co-founder of Ledger was severed and sent to apply pressure. The Paris prosecutor confirmed this Thursday that David Balland had been hospitalized for a “mutilation of the hand”.

Ten people, nine men and one woman, aged 20 to 40, from all over France, were arrested. A judicial investigation will be opened on Friday, in particular for “kidnapping and sequestration by an organized gang”, “acts of torture or barbarism” as well as “extortion with a weapon”.