Canadian Sentenced to Time Served After Spending Stolen Crypto on Lamborghini, Luxury Goods

A 20-year-old Canadian who tricked cryptocurrency holders out of millions of dollars while living a lavish lifestyle in Florida as a teenager could soon be returning to Canada. A U.S. federal judge in Miami sentenced Trenton Richard David (Trent) Johnston to time served on Monday, October 26.

Johnston pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and surrendered $3.8 million US worth of stolen cryptocurrency. He was 19 when he was arrested in March, seated in the back of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV that smelled of "freshly burned marijuana," according to court documents. He has been in custody since.

U.S. Homeland Security Investigations found that Johnston, a Canadian citizen, posed as Google tech support staff and as representatives of crypto firms. He persuaded unsuspecting victims to hand over the codes to their cryptocurrency wallets, and the scheme earned him a fortune.

In one March case, Johnston and an unnamed co-conspirator took a California man's life savings of 185 bitcoin, worth about $13 million US at the time. "We actually smacked a 185btc target today," Johnston texted his accomplice, according to a criminal complaint filed in Miami. "Club feels mad good after today." He added: "And we ain't done."

Prosecutors said Johnston spent heavily on "an extravagant nightlife and entertainment lifestyle" in the Miami area, where he moved in 2024. Court documents list a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, two BMWs, jewelry and a private jet rental among his purchases. A witness told investigators he made no secret of the method, showing others how the thefts worked by sharing his screen on Discord.

His defence lawyer, Brooke C. Watson, said in a court filing that after his arrest Johnston turned over all the stolen cryptocurrency in his possession, roughly $3.8 million US in bitcoin and ether. "Mr. Johnston quickly admitted his conduct and is tremendously sorry for what he has done," Watson wrote.

Johnston crossed from Fort Erie, Ont., to Buffalo, N.Y., in October 2024 at age 18 and overstayed his 12-month tourist visa. A filing last week revealed the scheme began even earlier, in January 2024, when he was 17. His hometown and the names of his parents, a mechanic and a hair stylist, are redacted in court documents, and Watson did not respond to CBC News when asked where he is from.

Under a plea deal, federal prosecutors dropped a wire fraud conspiracy charge in exchange for his guilty plea on the money laundering count. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida had previously said he faced 20 years in prison if convicted on both counts. Prosecutors later said he provided "substantial assistance in the investigation and prosecution" of other unnamed individuals.

Johnston still faces a Florida state drug possession charge over suspected amphetamine pills found in a Hermes bag at the time of his arrest in North Miami. It is unclear when he will be released from custody. He has agreed to a removal order issued by a U.S. immigration judge in April, and is expected to be handed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be deported to Canada.