Charlie Zakkour, a star of the Bravo reality series ‘Next Gen NYC,’ was present at the scene of an arrest in May 2025 related to a cryptocurrency extortion and torture scheme. Zakkour, who is a crypto trader and private investor, was seen in a video at the SoHo apartment where John Woeltz, a cryptocurrency investor, was arrested.
Crypto Torture Allegations
Police arrested Woeltz, 37, on charges including assault, kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a firearm. According to law enforcement officials, Woeltz and two other suspects allegedly lured a business partner from Italy to New York by threatening the partner's family. Over several weeks, they purportedly tortured the victim in an attempt to extort millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. The victim, who managed to escape and seek help from a traffic enforcement officer, told police that his passport was confiscated and he was held for two weeks.
Investigators stated that the group allegedly used electrical cords, subjected the victim to shock treatments, forced him to smoke crack cocaine, and attached an Airtag to his neck to track his movements within the apartment. Zakkour, while not accused of any criminal activity in this case, was reportedly enlisted by Woeltz's assistant to bring women to the apartment, according to reports.
Zakkour's Past Legal Issues
While Zakkour was not arrested or charged in connection with the crypto torture scandal, he has had previous encounters with the law. In March 2014, Zakkour was arrested in Miami Beach and charged with alleged trespassing and cannabis possession. These charges were later dismissed and expunged from his record.
‘Next Gen NYC’ Season 2 is set to explore Zakkour's life as a "reformed bad boy" aiming to maintain a drama-free environment, though personal drama has emerged following the filming of the first season.