Vancouver's Crypto Betrayal: A Lesson in Trust

Ever heard of EzBtc? This cryptocurrency platform used to be based in Nanaimo, Vancouver Island. Recently, it was ordered to pay back a whopping $18. 4 million. Why? Because they stole from their users. EzBtc was supposed to keep customers' digital money safe, but they didn't. Instead, they took a third of the funds for gambling and personal use. That's right, nearly $13 million went to betting sites. In earlier hearings, a customer shared his story. He needed the money for medical bills but ended up in debt. It’s not just about the money; his reputation was damaged too. People questioned his intelligence because he was scammed. The B. C. Securities Commission didn't hold back. They said EzBtc and its founder, David Smillie, lied and used customers' crypto for their own gain. Smillie has to pay $10. 4 million back to the victims and an $8 million penalty. But will he actually pay? That's the big question.