U.S. federal authorities have unsealed indictments against a 19-year-old Canadian national and a Miami man for a cryptocurrency fraud ring that stole over $13 million, while on-chain investigator ZachXBT has separately named an alleged 18‑year‑old accomplice tied to $19 million in social engineering thefts. The developments highlight a deepening crackdown on crypto scams, with the Department of Justice also announcing 276 arrests in a coordinated international operation.
DOJ charges in $13 million heist
A federal grand jury in Miami charged Trenton Richard David Johnston, a Canadian citizen, and Brandon Michael Tardibone, 28, of Miami, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. According to the DOJ, Johnston impersonated customer support representatives from major search engines and cryptocurrency firms to gain access to victims’ digital wallets. The stolen assets were then transferred to accounts controlled by the conspirators.
Prosecutors say Tardibone housed Johnston at a luxury Miami residence to help him evade immigration authorities after his visa expired. The pair allegedly laundered the proceeds through multiple financial transactions and spent more than $1 million on high‑end cars, jewelry, and nightlife. Johnston faces up to 40 years in prison; Tardibone faces up to 30 years, including a charge for harboring an undocumented person.
ZachXBT links teen to 185 BTC theft
Blockchain sleuth ZachXBT identified Dritan Kapllani Jr. as the likely Co‑Conspirator 1 (CC‑1) in the same 185 Bitcoin theft that underpins the Johnston indictment. On April 23, Dritan allegedly displayed a $3.68 million Exodus wallet during a Discord “band‑for‑band” contest among scammers. ZachXBT traced $5.3 million from the March 14 theft to Dritan’s wallet, dubbing him a “prolific social engineering scammer” with links to five other thefts totalling $5.85 million in 2025. Dritan has not yet been charged.
ZachXBT also revealed that meme‑coin KOL @yelotree (Yelo) was charged for laundering funds through his Miami luxury car rental business and faces up to 30 years, while John Daghita (Lick) was arrested earlier for an alleged $46 million theft from the U.S. government.
Global crackdown nets 276 arrests
Simultaneously, the DOJ and FBI, with help from Meta, Dubai Police, Thai authorities, and others, dismantled nine scam centres, arresting 276 suspects. The centres used “pig‑butchering” tactics—building fake investment platforms that showed fictitious profits to lure victims. Meta reported removing 159 million scam ads in 2025 and blocking 10.9 million accounts tied to the centres. Investigations continue, and victims are still being identified.
