Teen Who Stole Millions in Crypto Gets Jail Time

A 20‑year‑old from Canada found himself in a Miami courthouse after a police stop on a speeding Rolls‑Royce. While the driver was caught with drugs, prosecutors highlighted another crime: a two‑year scam that stole $13 million in cryptocurrency. The money funded parties, jewelry, and high‑end cars. Court papers reveal the teen, named Trenton Johnston, pretended to work for big tech and crypto firms. This ruse let him trick people into giving up access to their digital wallets. A small group of friends helped move the stolen funds, using them to buy a Lamborghini and two BMWs. One friend in Florida also helped clean the money. Johnston had entered the United States on a Canadian visa that expired in October 2024. He never had work permission, yet he lived and spent freely in Florida. His plan was to keep the loot hidden while enjoying a flashy lifestyle.In March, Johnston bragged in a private chat app about stealing 185 Bitcoin—about $13 million—from a California resident. He was caught after the FBI traced the theft and identified him as the mastermind behind the scheme. Johnston pleaded guilty to one charge: conspiracy to launder money. The plea deal spared him a possible 40‑year sentence, and the judge now expects a prison term of roughly four to five years. It is not yet known whether he will serve his time in the U. S. or Canada, but he has agreed to cooperate with authorities. The case illustrates how new digital currencies can create easy targets for fraud. Similar scams have cost the U. S. more than $11 billion in losses over the past year, according to federal reports.