Canadian officials are taking steps towards the assets of Michael Patryn, a co-founder of the bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX. According to a report by the Vancouver Sun, authorities from British Columbia are investigating Patryn‘s financial situation. This investigation includes issuing an unexplained wealth order to force Patryn to disclose the source of his funds. The goal is to uncover alleged corruption and seize assets acquired through illegal means.
Reflections of the Fight Against Money Laundering
Last year, the province implemented unexplained wealth orders to combat money laundering. Such orders are also in place in England, New Zealand, and Ireland.
Officials claim the investigation concerns Patryn’s cash, gold bars, expensive watches, and jewelry. They argue these are proceeds from the QuadrigaCX fraud. However, Patryn has previously denied these allegations.
Death of the Bankrupt Crypto Exchange’s CEO
Gerald Cotten, the CEO of QuadrigaCX, died in India at the end of 2018 from Crohn’s disease. However, following his death, a fraud scandal emerged, and the accounting firm Ernst & Young revealed that Cotten had actually been transferring money from customer accounts to enrich himself.
Some conspiracy theories have arisen about Cotten’s death, as the state of Rajasthan is known for producing fake death certificates. A Netflix documentary has even been made about the mysterious events surrounding the death of the Canadian crypto king.
Last year, Ernst & Young announced that it would temporarily distribute funds to some QuadrigaCX customers. Despite five years passing since the exchange’s bankruptcy, the issue continues to be a topic of discussion in the cryptocurrency world.
