The Quadriga crypto fraud saga, and lessons for crypto investors

January 18, 2022 04:06 AM EST | By Ankit Sethi
 The Quadriga crypto fraud saga, and lessons for crypto investors
Highlights:
  • Quadriga’s Gerald Cotton’s widow has come out with a new book on their time together
  • QuadrigaCX was once a big crypto exchange in Canada, and 40 per cent of its investors were Ontarians
  • The regulator has called it a Ponzi-type fraud in an investigation report published last year

That the value of any crypto asset can change drastically in the blink of an eye is what most investors are now aware of. That a large crypto exchange can be a just-another Ponzi scheme is what many of us may have forgotten.

‘Bitcoin Widow’ book

The new book ‘Bitcoin Widow’ is co-written by the widow of Gerald Cotten. It reveals some disturbing details. In her book, Jennifer Robertson is said to have distanced herself from the multi-million-dollar fraud perpetrated by Cotten through his Quadriga Fintech Solutions.

Robertson is also said to have claimed that Gerald Cotten led different personal and professional lives, and she wasn’t aware of what lay beneath the wealth Cotten had accumulated.

Also read: Best crypto exchange in Canada: Here are the top contenders

Quadriga crypto exchange

The exchange QuadrigaCX was once believed to be the biggest of its kind in Canada. It started in 2013, much before Canadians thronged to risky crypto assets like Bitcoin and Dogecoin in huge numbers. In December 2018, the founder CEO Cotten died in India at age 30.

In its investigation, the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) found that QuadrigaCX was nothing but a ‘modern technology’ wrapped Ponzi scheme that ran on a pyramid structure. The bubble was destined to go burst when the exchange could no longer cover payments to older users through money from new depositors.

The loss of millions of dollars

Cotten, who is said to have documented a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme when he was just a teenager, had the password to unlock the money that is said to have vanished after his death.

Nearly US$200 million in cryptocurrency holding were owed to hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting investors, most of whom were Ontario residents. The OSC expressly stated in its detailed report that a key element in Cotten being able to pull such a large fraud was not registering with the regulators.

Price movement of Bitcoin in 2022Data provided by CoinMarketCap.com

Recent crypto frauds

There have been multiple crypto frauds besides the infamous Quadriga crypto scam.

A token named Squid Games crypto reached a price of US$2,800 before plummeting to zero and wiping out all the investor wealth. These instances shine the spotlight on how the popular new investment asset class is also a breeding ground for fraudsters.

Also read: The top crypto gainers of 2021, and a couple of underperformers

Bottom line

Before investing using an exchange in any crypto asset, it is advisable to undertake research. Investing only if the blockchain project seems legitimate and of value may be the road ahead for crypto investors.


Disclaimer

The content, including but not limited to any articles, news, quotes, information, data, text, reports, ratings, opinions, images, photos, graphics, graphs, charts, animations and video (Content) is a service of Kalkine Media Incorporated (Kalkine Media), Business Number: 720744275BC0001 and is available for personal and non-commercial use only. The advice given by Kalkine Media through its Content is general information only and it does not take into account the user’s personal investment objectives, financial situation and specific needs. Users should make their own enquiries about any investment and Kalkine Media strongly suggests the users to seek advice from a financial adviser, stockbroker or other professional (including taxation and legal advice), as necessary. Kalkine Media is not registered as an investment adviser in Canada under either the provincial or territorial Securities Acts. Some of the Content on this website may be sponsored/non-sponsored, as applicable, however, on the date of publication of any such Content, none of the employees and/or associates of Kalkine Media hold positions in any of the stocks covered by Kalkine Media through its Content. Kalkine Media hereby disclaims any and all the liabilities to any user for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental or other consequential damages arising from any use of the Content on this website, which is provided without warranties. The views expressed in the Content by the guests, if any, are their own and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Kalkine Media. Some of the images/music that may be used in the Content are copyright to their respective owner(s). Kalkine Media does not claim ownership of any of the pictures displayed/music used in the Content unless stated otherwise. The images/music that may be used in the Content are taken from various sources on the internet, including paid subscriptions or are believed to be in public domain. We have used reasonable efforts to accredit the source wherever it was indicated or was found to be necessary.


Sponsored Articles


Investing Ideas

Previous Next
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.