Reports indicate that one of the Cicol brothers, who is accused of torturing an Italian businessman at a venue referred to as the “Soho House of Horrors,” had allegedly threatened to imprison his ex-fiancée and kill her months before his dramatic arrest in Manhattan.
John Woeltz recently managed to get out of Rikers Island after posting a $1 million bail, amid an ongoing trial. His ex-fiancée described him as having “delusional and cultivated behavior,” alongside another accused trespasser, William Duplessie, who is currently held under a Kentucky detention order. This was first reported by New York Magazine on Monday.
In a suppression order application, Woeltz’s girlfriend stated, “This person is very unstable and mentally ill, reacting unpredictably to his rage.” She described him as “armed and dangerous.”
The troubling split occurred just months before Woeltz and Duplessie faced charges for allegedly capturing Italian crypto trader Michael Valentino Teofrasto Carturan and torturing him for his Bitcoin password, reportedly using a chainsaw in the process.
Carturan managed to escape barefoot from the Prince Street Townhouse in May and sought help from a New York Police Department officer.
Defenders of Woeltz and Duplessie argue that Carturan’s distressing experience was an odd aspect of the party atmosphere that permeated their townhouse—almost like a “long-running flat party” where business dealings took precedence.
Yet, the two have a similar history in Kentucky, where they allegedly crafted a similarly toxic environment in their expansive 10,000-square-foot mansion, according to prosecutors.
New York Magazine noted that Woeltz, typically mild-mannered, displayed startling aggression in Kentucky back in January when he was confronted about not carrying firearm magazines. He reportedly choked his girlfriend and held a gun to her head during this incident.
In a disturbing parallel to the current accusations, he and Duplessie reportedly locked her in a bedroom for several hours, according to the report.
Kayla Barber, who was engaged to Woeltz, eventually ended the relationship and later discovered that her Mazda, parked at her home in Kentucky, had been shot, with a window blown out.
Barber, described as an aspiring actress with a small business in Lexington, had been dating Woeltz for two years and they had plans to marry in Hawaii in late 2024.
Kentucky court records indicate that Woeltz is under a restraining order for a domestic violence case.
Woeltz claimed to have acted as a vigilante against cybercrime in Russia and China.
Attempts to reach Barber for comment were unsuccessful.
Allegations also suggest that the duo had entangled a German CEO, Michael Mauer, during this tumultuous period.
Mauer is among three individuals mentioned, described as part of a supposed “manifesto” where prosecutors claim Woeltz and Duplessie plotted to embezzle foreign cryptocurrencies in a spy-like scheme.
They reportedly asserted, “We take codes and bitcoin from evil people who use it to fund terrorism. Our belief is that people need to use their coins.”
Lawyers for Woeltz and Duplessie have not responded to requests for comments.
Duplessie, at 33, remains incarcerated at Rikers Island, while Woeltz has been released after posting bail. Both have pleaded not guilty and are set to return to court on October 15.
