A Canadian teenager has pleaded guilty in the United States after prosecutors said he stole more than $13 million in cryptocurrency through social engineering scams and funded an “exotic lifestyle” in Miami and Los Angeles.
Investigators said around $1.2 million was quickly spent on luxury cars, private jets, and rentals in Miami and Los Angeles. Vehicles included BMW models and a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ. Funds were also used for private jet travel and tickets for “two girls from New York.”
Teen Pleads Guilty In $13M Crypto
US prosecutors charged Trenton Richard Johnston in May, when he was 19. They said he and co-conspirators impersonated staff from companies including Google, Coinbase and hardware wallet firm Trezor to gain access to victims’ crypto accounts.
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Johnston, now 20, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. The plea deal avoided charges that could have led to a prison sentence of up to 40 years.
Court documents show the scheme began around January 2024. In February, Johnston allegedly tricked a victim into believing their email and Coinbase accounts were compromised, allowing the theft of about $41,000 in Ether.
Prosecutors said the operation escalated weeks later, when Johnston and others posed as Google and Trezor representatives. A California victim was told someone was accessing their wallet, and about $13 million in Bitcoin was drained.
Teen Stole $13M In Crypto to Spend on Jets And Lambos
— BSCN (@BSCNews) June 12, 2026
A Canadian teen has pleaded guilty after prosecutors said he helped steal more than $13 million in crypto through social engineering scams.
Authorities say the funds were spent on luxury cars, jewelry and private jet travel.… pic.twitter.com/matwvrfRX6
Teen Surrenders $3.7M In Crypto
The case collapsed in March when Johnston was stopped for speeding in a Rolls-Royce. Police said he was carrying 21 suspected amphetamine tablets. Devices and notes later linked him to the scheme.
Court records show he has surrendered about 53.16 Bitcoin and 275.23 Ether, worth around $3.7 million. Prosecutors recommended a sentence of 51 to 63 months, citing his cooperation. Sentencing is pending.
Fake Support Drives Bitcoin Thefts
Finance Magnates reporting on similar cases highlights a broader pattern in crypto support impersonation scams. In one case, a single threat actor stole over $2 million from Coinbase users by posing as customer support and convincing victims to authorise transfers.
In another, an investor lost about $91 million in Bitcoin after interacting with fake support channels. Both cases show the same mechanism, where attackers exploit trust in official support, create urgency, and rely on irreversible on-chain transfers to move funds quickly.
