The crypto bigwig accused of sadistically torturing an Italian businessman for his Bitcoin password left a path of debt in his wake earlier than touchdown within the Massive Apple – the place he grew to become identified within the membership scene as a hard-partying huge spender, The Put up has realized.
William Duplessie, 33, owed a whole bunch of 1000’s of {dollars} on luxurious houses and vehicles in Florida and wracked up felony bother in Switzerland for allegedly beating his fiancée, in line with public information and law-enforcement sources.
However these authorized woes apparently didn’t decelerate Duplessie’s hedonistic way of life as soon as he began shacking up in a fancy SoHo townhouse with fellow crypto dealer John Woeltz, 37, someday after arriving in New York Metropolis in February, the sources stated.
“It’s a frat house for crypto bros,” one supply stated.
The hulking Duplessie grew to become an everyday at stylish sizzling spots such because the The Field — an unique erotic nightclub the place photographs obtained by The Put up confirmed him partying shirtless — and infrequently roped socialites and fellow clubbers to his pad for events.
The glitzy façade got here crashing down Could 23, when a barefoot Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan — a 27-year-old crypto millionaire from Italy — ran from the Prince Road townhouse and informed a site visitors cop that he had been held captive inside.
Carturan had been subjected to horrific tortures — together with being Tased whereas standing in water and lower by a chainsaw — over practically three weeks in a bid to realize his Bitcoin password, prosecutors stated.
Woeltz, a seemingly mild-mannered Kentucky crypto king value $100 million, was shortly arrested and ordered held with out bail.
However Duplessie remained on the unfastened, allegedly partying it up within the Hamptons over the Memorial Day vacation weekend earlier than he surrendered to cops Tuesday, in line with sources. He, too, is being held with out bail on costs that embody kidnapping and assault.
Many particulars concerning the wicked scheme stay unclear, as do sure specifics concerning the alleged sick suspects’ backgrounds.
However courtroom information from Miami, Florida, the place Duplessie hails from, define a spate of eye-watering money owed he had allegedly racked up over extravagant purchases.
His former landlord sued him in 2023 for failing to pay $234,000 in lease and a safety deposit on a swanky, palm-shaded residence in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, a hub of crypto buyers the place peacocks stroll the streets.
The house was left in “much physical disrepair,” the lawsuit famous.
Neighbor Sylvia Rayneri stated her daughter used to personal the house earlier than promoting it to the owner who rented it to Duplessie.
She was shocked to listen to about its connection to the alleged torture case.
“I don’t remember this guy,” she stated Wednesday. “That’s so crazy. Mostly it’s families who rent this place. I remember in that year sometimes hearing music, but nothing crazy.”
Duplessie confronted one other 2023 lawsuit for allegedly failing to make his $3,700-a-month lease funds on a 2018 Lamborghini Huracan — a flashy sports activities automobile with a price ticket beginning at $210,000.
The lawsuit was voluntarily dismissed inside days of submitting, information present.
A supply in Palm Seaside’s society scene stated Duplessie frolicked within the rich enclave throughout its peak winter season throughout February or March, “with the pretty young set going to places like Mary Lou’s and trying to make business contacts.”
One other supply stated they noticed each Duplessie and Woeltz at Mary Lou’s, a hip nightclub in West Palm Seaside.
“William (Duplessie) was wilder and the other guy was quieter,” the supply stated.
Duplessie’s ambitions — and authorized troubles — apparently prolonged far outdoors sunny Florida.
He has a possible felony conviction in Switzerland, the place he had based the Pangea Digital Asset Group and Pangea Blockchain Fund, prosecutors revealed throughout his arraignment.
Sources stated Duplessie had been accused of beating up his fiancée there.
A ultimate Miami-Dade County lawsuit in opposition to Duplessie was filed in December by a motorist who contends the crypto huge crashed a Porsche into his automobile, injuring him.
The summons for Duplessie, nevertheless, couldn’t be served as a result of the courtroom didn’t have his newest handle: 38 Prince Road.
Duplessie and Woeltz began displaying up in New York Metropolis’s wild membership scene in February, sources stated.
A passerby outdoors the Prince Road residence — which law-enforcement sources stated was being rented out for between $30,000 and $40,000 a month — stated Duplessie was an everyday at Gospël, a SoHo home music bastion.
“I’ve seen him drop $160,000,” the passerby stated.
One other supply stated Duplessie would spent $100,000 on tables at The Field and Rumour, an unique Meatpacking District membership.
Throughout bleary late nights partying, Duplessie spun tales about working for the CIA, sources stated.
One get together photograph depicting three bottles of Ace of Spades champagne — a model owned by Jay-Z — was taken in Nebula, a cavernous Midtown mega-club.
“They were spending lots and lots of money on Ace of Spades,” one supply stated. “We kept watching more and more bottles coming in such a short time. William was in pajamas.”
The indicators of decadent boozing might be seen — and heard — outdoors the Prince Road townhouse.
Neighbors known as in three separate noise complaints about partying early April 5, 311 knowledge exhibits.
A SoHo road vendor who known as himself “Dutch” stated he usually noticed Woeltz cart plastic baggage stuffed with empty liquor bottles to the sidewalk.
“I am talking maybe 50, 60 bottles — wine, vodka,” Dutch stated. “Massive bottles in plastic baggage on the sidewalk.
“I’d look through the garbage, because I know they were wealthy. There (was) food, but not as much as liquor bottles.”
The pair’s glamorous assistant Beatrice Folchi, 24, had been a bottle woman at The Field, sources stated. Folchi had been arrested after Carturan’s escape, however Manhattan district legal professional’s officers declined to prosecute pending additional investigation.
When reached by The Put up Wednesday at her Chelsea handle, Folchi solely repeated, “I can’t talk.”
— Further reporting by Desheania Andrews
