Spouse of among Norway'’s wealthiest guys abducted and held for ransom

The better half of among Norway‘s wealthiest guys was abducted more than 2 months earlier and her captors are requiring a ransom for her release, cops have actually revealed.

Detectives state 68- year-old Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen has actually been missing out on given that 31 October in 2015, after vanishing from her house in Lørenskog, simply outdoors Oslo.

Her spouse, Tom Hagen, a home magnate and owner of Scandinavian power giant Elkraft AS, is considered among Norway’s most affluent individuals.

Worth an approximated 1.7 bn krone (₤157 m), he positioned 172 on a list of the nation’s 400 most affluent individuals released by monetary publication Kapital

Authorities stated a note discovered in the couple’s home explained what would take place to her if the ransom was not paid in the cryptocurrency Monero.

Investigators did not divulge just how much cash the abductors had actually requested for, however Aftenposten, Norway’s biggest paper, reported they had actually requested for EUR9m (₤ 8m).

The paper likewise stated cops had actually discovered no indication of a burglary at her house, however presumed she had actually been assaulted in the home’s restroom.

Reports in Norway have actually likewise hypothesized the ransom note specified Ms Falkevik Hagen would be eliminated if cops ended up being included.

Chief detective Tommy Broeske decreased to discuss specifics surrounding the contents of the note, informing an interview: “the hazards were of a really severe character”.

” The factor for us to go public with this case now is that in spite of a broad and substantial examination, we require more details,” he included. “We have no suspects in this case”.

Mr Broeske stated “those behind have actually selected to interact digitally and we have actually had no other kind of contact”. Authorities have actually prompted the household not to pay any ransom.

Detectives stated they were dealing with Europol and Interpol on the case.

Kidnappings are uncommon in Norway, which prides itself on its low criminal activity rates. It is thought the case is the very first in the nation’s history where captors have actually requested for a ransom in cryptocurrency.

Monero, the currency asked for by the kidnappers, is understood for its high levels of personal privacy, which in the past have actually provided police with problems figuring out the source, quantity or locations of deals on the platform.

Extra reporting by companies