Just days after crypto investor John Woeltz was arrested in the shocking SoHo torture case, a second suspect has now been taken into custody. William Duplessie, 33, turned himself in on Tuesday at the 13th Precinct in Manhattan. His arrest adds a new twist to the bizarre and brutal saga that began earlier this month.
Woeltz, 37, had already made headlines after being accused of kidnapping and torturing a man from Italy in a rented eight-bedroom townhouse. But now prosecutors say he didn’t act alone. Duplessie, believed to be Woeltz’s business partner, is facing the same serious charges.
In the original case, prosecutors said the victim was lured to New York with threats to his family. Once inside the Prince Street townhouse, he was held captive for 17 days. During that time, he was allegedly beaten, shocked with wires, and forced to smoke crack cocaine. Prosecutors say he was also cut with a saw, urinated on, and threatened with a gun, all in a terrifying effort to get his Bitcoin password.
Now, new court details show that Woeltz waived his scheduled court appearances this week, choosing not to face the judge. Meanwhile, prosecutors revealed more evidence, including photos of the victim with a firearm to his head and wearing t-shirts printed with images of him being tortured.
The townhouse, rented for up to $40,000 a month, was filled with disturbing items: body armor, night vision goggles, crack cocaine, and ammunition. Law enforcement also found blood in multiple rooms. The alleged victim escaped after tricking his captors by saying his crypto wallet password was on his laptop. When Woeltz left the room, the victim ran barefoot out of the townhouse and got help.
Duplessie’s lawyer told the court his client voluntarily surrendered and disputed his role in the attack. He asked the judge to allow Duplessie to post a $1 million bail and live under house arrest in Florida. The judge said no. Prosecutors warned the suspects had the resources to flee. Woeltz allegedly has access to both a private jet and a helicopter. Both suspects remain behind bars, where they await serious prison time.
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