ransom

The hacker contacted the French company in early June and claims to have been in on-off negotiations with them over a ransom to be paid in Bitcoin.

"When it does happen, it is more often than not in the context of ransomware ransom negotiations. Communication is via online messaging services, maybe one message, no more than a couple of sentences, each day."

Since Mr O'Sullivan's disappearance, his family have received abusive and threatening messages from strangers - with some people claiming to be holding Jack and demanding a ransom.

In the film, a reimagining of Akira Kurosawa’s “High and Low,” Washington portrays a music mogul who is targeted for a ransom demand.

It even suggested ransom amounts for the victims.