Crypto Torture Case Video Shows Alleged Victim Tied Up, Cooking Crack … 5 Days After His Alleged Capture
Published |
Updated
The Italian businessman who was allegedly kidnapped and tortured in NYC for nearly 3 weeks, wasn’t always in distress during that period … according to a bizarre video of him cooking crack in an air fryer.
TMZ obtained a 20-second clip, which seemingly illustrates a much different picture of Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan‘s alleged captivity in the SoHo townhome where police say John Woeltz and William Duplessie tortured him for 17 days. In the video, Carturan appears to be tied around the chest to a wheelchair, but his hands are free and he’s smiling and joking with at least 3 other people in the room.
Carturan — whose face we’ve blurred because he’s an alleged victim — is fiddling with an air fryer on a table, and you can hear a male voice say, “You’re in a wheelchair cooking crack” … and someone else says, “That’s so whack.”
TMZ.com
Then, someone says, “This crack is gonna f***ing suck” and everyone in the room, including Carturan, laughs. Another male voice says, “Don’t get me in the crack video, bro!”
Here’s what’s puzzling about this video … metadata shows it was recorded May 11 at 1:45 AM ET at Woeltz’s Prince Street address. According to the police, Woeltz lured Carturan to his place on May 6, and held him until he managed to escape on May 23.
Our law enforcement sources tell us Carturan was tortured and forced to smoke crack while being filmed by his alleged captors … in order to blackmail him into turning over his password for his Bitcoin wallet worth millions. We’re told the suspects allegedly threatened to send the footage to Carturan’s investors if he didn’t provide the password, but Carturan still refused to cough it up. All of that aligns with this video.
What is unclear, though, is why Carturan would be in such a laughing and lighthearted mood 5 days after he was allegedly held. The video also reveals Woeltz and Duplessie were not the only ones in the townhome with Carturan. We’ve blurred the face of a man in a white sweater who was present — he’s not Woeltz or Duplessie — plus, there are at least 2 other male voices in the room.
5/23/25
Meanwhile, Woeltz and Duplessie are being held without bail on charges of kidnapping, assault, unlawful imprisonment and criminal possession of a weapon.
We reached out to attorneys for Duplessie and Woeltz. Duplessie’s attorney had no comment and so far no word back from Woeltz’s attorney.
We’ve tried to contact representatives for Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, but without success so far.
Military Parade See the Showstopping Fireworks Finale!!!
Published
The military parade celebrating the Army’s 250th anniversary on Saturday ended with rockets’ red glare and bombs bursting in the air … and, we’ve got all the pics of a fireworks finale that will blow you away.
Check out all the images from the end of the big event in Washington D.C. … with a display that’s sure to transfix you just like it did President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
The explosions lit up captial’s most famous monuments — like the obelisk which also bears the town’s namesake — as thousands of people who attended the event looked up in awe.
As you know … this parade — which began around 6 PM ET today — was a hotly debated topic among the president’s supporters and his detractors, especially amid unrest in some of nation’s biggest cities Saturday.
“No Kings” rallies — demonstrations against the Trump administration’s policies, specifically the ones pertaining to immigration and undocumented immigrants — raged all over the nation Saturday … and, they appeared mostly peaceful.
Protests were especially intense in Los Angeles last weekend … with law enforcement engaging protesters and rioters in places like Downtown L.A. and Paramount, CA — a suburban area about 20 minutes from DTLA.
Despite high tensions, there was no violence in D.C. during the parade … though there was picketing against POTUS in other parts of town.
“Time and again, America’s enemies have learned that if you threaten the American people, our soldiers are coming for you. Your defeat will be certain, your demise will be final, and your downfall will be total and complete.”
Judge Mathis I’ve Got No Love For Diddy … But His Friends Should Show Up at Trial For Him!!!
Published
TMZ.com
Judge Mathis isn’t going to show up to Diddy‘s trial and support him … but, he says those he’s close to should — though he’s also questioning Kanye West‘s reason for making an appearance this week.
We caught up with the TV star Saturday in Los Angeles on the world-famous Rodeo Drive … and, we had to ask him if he thought Kanye showing up to Diddy’s trial Friday would make an impact.
TMZ.com
Remember … Kanye pulled up to the federal courthouse in Manhattan Friday, but he never actually made it into the courtroom. Instead, officials actually opened up a secondary overflow room just for him to watch the trial on a monitor.
TMZ.com
After only about 10 minutes, Ye left … and, the jury never actually saw him there — unclear if they even heard about it.
Judge Mathis says he’s not sure if Kanye just showed up to start drama or if he actually wanted to comfort his longtime friend … but, if it’s the latter, the judge says he’s all for it.
In fact, JM says more of Diddy’s friends should go and be there for him — adding, if he were a friend or family member, he’d go. To be clear, Mathis says no one should be justifying Diddy’s alleged actions … but, that doesn’t mean people can’t go to provide comfort to him.
As for where the case is currently … the judge says he thinks the prosecution has only made inroads when it comes to the two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution after “Jane”testified that she arranged travel, and Diddy paid, to fly a sex worker across state lines.
TMZ.com
Mathis says the prosecution needs to do more work if they’re going to get a guilty verdict on the other three charges … so, we’ll have to wait and see how this turns out.
Stars Barbecuing Grillin’ & Chillin’… It’s Smoke Show Season!!!
Published
Summer’s heating up, and celebs are bringing the fire — flipping burgers, soaking sun, and grilling their way into full vacation mode!
Stars like Lil Nas X, Jake Miller, and Tyler Cameron are gettin’ down to business — meat in hand, flames up, and cookin’ up a summer feast like pros.
Demi Lovato turned up the heat and the romance — snapping her man Jutes clutching a big ol’ slab of meat like it was love at first sear.
Henry Cavill got in on the action too — snapping some smoldering selfies while manning the BBQ like a total grill god. And don’t worry, the ladies weren’t just watching … they brought the heat too. Check out all the sizzle in our smokin’ hot photo gallery!