Canadian Teen Scams $13M, Splurges on Lambos, BMWs

A Canadian teen stands at the center of a multimillion-dollar crypto fraud that funded an extravagant lifestyle across Miami and Los Angeles. Trenton Richard Johnston was arrested in March during a speeding stop, and investigators soon linked him to a scheme in which he and co-conspirators impersonated Google, Trezor and other crypto firms to steal cryptocurrency. Prosecutors say he stole more than $13 million in crypto, including about $41,000 in Ether in February and roughly $13 million in Bitcoin as the scheme unfolded. In May, Johnston pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, avoiding additional charges that could carry a 40-year sentence. About $1.2 million backed the lifestyle, including luxury cars such as two BMWs and a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, plus private jet trips. Brandon Tardibone, an exotic-car rental owner, pleaded guilty to money laundering and aided Johnston in acquiring vehicles. Additional purchases included a North Miami rental home and plane tickets for two girls from New York. Prosecutors and defense notes underscore that social engineering and the speed of crypto transactions drive the scale of losses, a point echoed by Cyvers CEO Deddy Lavid.