DOJ indicts 19-year-old Canadian and Miami co-conspirator in $13 million crypto fraud scheme

A federal grand jury in Miami has charged a 19-year-old Canadian national and his partner for running a cryptocurrency fraud and money laundering operation that stole more than $13 million from their victims. The charges were announced yesterday, May 11, after a lengthy investigation into their operations.

According to the DOJ press release, one of the accused, Trenton Richard David Johnston, allegedly impersonated customer support representatives from major search engines and crypto companies to gain access to victims’ digital wallets and accounts.

After gaining access, Johnston and unnamed co-conspirators transferred their assets to personal accounts.

Canadian on expired visa implicated in $13M crypto scam

The indictment named Johnston alongside 28-year-old Brandon Michael Tardibone, a resident of Miami. Prosecutors accused Tardibone of knowingly housing Johnston at a luxury Miami-area residence to help him avoid immigration authorities.

Both men also stand accused of laundering fraud proceeds through multiple financial transactions to hide where the money came from.

Apparently, the pair spent more than $1 million in stolen funds on leasing high-end vehicles, buying expensive jewelry, and funding their lavish nightlife, according to the DOJ filing. Investigators say more victims are still being identified.

Johnston faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each carrying up to 20 years in prison. On the other hand, Tardibone faces the money laundering conspiracy charge (up to 20 years) and a separate charge of harboring an undocumented person in the U.S., which is a 10-year offense.

Is Miami a hotspot for crypto scams?

The case joins a wave of social engineering crypto prosecutions originating from the Miami area. Popular blockchain investigator ZachXBT brought up the indictment on social media, claiming that Johnston helped criminals launder money through a Miami luxury car rental business.

>meanwhile Yelo was just charged of laundering for threat actors via his Miami luxury car rental business and is facing up to 30 yrs pic.twitter.com/jNxyasjTaP

— ZachXBT (@zachxbt) May 12, 2026

Meanwhile, the Southern Florida district has been busy. In April 2026, a Californian man named Evan Tangeman was sentenced to 70 months in federal custody for laundering proceeds from a $263 million crypto theft ring led by Malone Lam, a 21-year-old Singaporean.

According to the DOJ, the criminals lived an incredibly flashy lifestyle with the stolen funds, spending over $500,000 in a single night at clubs and renting luxury mansions for as much as $80,000 per month.

Tangeman’s sentencing was the ninth guilty plea in that investigation. The leader of the group, Malone Lam, was caught in Miami back in September 2024 after allegedly carrying out the biggest single-victim crypto robbery ever recorded, stealing more than 4,100 Bitcoins from one person, according to court documents.

What next in the trial?

Homeland Security Investigations is currently leading the Johnston probe with support from the FDIC Office of Inspector General, the IRS Criminal Investigation division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Golden Beach Police Department. The chief prosecutors are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackson K. Dering V and Robert F. Moore.

The DOJ clarified that these charges are still allegations and that both defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty. Court documents are also available via the Southern District of Florida under case number 26-cr-20181.

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