Italian Businessman Seen in Bizarre Air Fryer Crack Video During Alleged 17-Day Torture Ordeal in NYC

Carturan -- whose face is blurred because he's an alleged victim -- is fiddling with an air fryer on a table

An Italian businessman who was allegedly kidnapped and tortured for 17 days in a SoHo townhouse was seen in a strange and unsettling video recorded during his captivity — smiling and cooking what appears to be crack cocaine in an air fryer while joking with several men.

Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan, who police say was abducted by suspects John Woeltz and William Duplessie on May 6 and held until May 23, is at the center of a case involving attempted extortion through blackmail related to cryptocurrency. Despite claims of brutal treatment during that time, a 20-second video recorded on May 11 at 1:45 a.m. at Woeltz’s Prince Street residence paints a conflicting scene.

In the clip, Carturan appears to be strapped to a wheelchair around his chest, but his hands are unbound. He is visibly smiling and laughing while operating an air fryer placed on a table, surrounded by at least three other men. Voices in the room can be heard making jokes about cooking crack, including lines such as “You’re in a wheelchair cooking crack,” “That’s so whack,” and “This crack is gonna f***ing suck,” followed by laughter from everyone present, including Carturan. One person off-camera even says, “Don’t get me in the crack video, bro!”

According to law enforcement, Carturan was allegedly forced to smoke crack on camera while his captors filmed him. Police believe the suspects used the footage in an attempt to coerce Carturan into surrendering the password to his multimillion-dollar Bitcoin wallet. Authorities say Woeltz and Duplessie threatened to send the video to Carturan’s investors as blackmail. However, Carturan refused to hand over the information.

The video raises questions about the full circumstances of Carturan’s captivity, including the apparent lighthearted demeanor displayed just five days after his alleged abduction. It also confirms that others were present during the ordeal. One unidentified man in a white sweater can be seen in the video, and at least two other male voices are heard off-camera. These individuals have not yet been identified by law enforcement.

Woeltz and Duplessie are currently being held without bail and face charges including kidnapping, assault, unlawful imprisonment, and criminal possession of a weapon. Authorities continue to investigate the roles of any additional individuals who may have been involved.

Attempts to reach legal representatives for Carturan have so far been unsuccessful. Duplessie’s attorney declined to comment, while Woeltz’s legal team has not responded.