Trenton Richard Johnston
Last changed 2026-11-02 · Fact-check review — Fact-check review (verdict: revise): the reviewer checked the page's claims against its sources; the trust score was recalculated from the page's findings, 0 → 28. Version history →
Why this score
| Every page starts at | 65 |
| The subject's own conduct | -48 |
| Problems around it, caused by others | -1.5 |
| Long-running | +2 |
| Sum | 18 |
- 2 sections set aside: the claims did not hold up in a fact-check, pending correction.
Score: 28/100 (kept between 0 and 100)
How scoring works →Page reliability: Fact-checked 2026-11-02 · 4 of 13 claims confirmed · 1 need better sources · 5 disputed · 3 out of date
anchored·4QqKp8…vMyXSummary
Trenton Richard David Johnston is a Canadian national who pleaded guilty on June 10, 2026 in U.S. District Court in Miami to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a social-engineering cryptocurrency theft scheme that caused at least $13.04 million in victim losses. Johnston, who was 19 at the time of his March 2026 arrest and had overstayed a U.S. tourist visa, is identified as Co-Conspirator 2 in federal filings that name Dritan Kapllani Jr. as Co-Conspirator 1 in the same 185 BTC theft. He awaits sentencing and has agreed to deportation to Canada.
Connected Entities
7 entities · 60 linked investigations- Ethereum→mentioned with→Bitcoin(60%)
- Monero→mentioned with→Bitcoin(60%)
- Monero→mentioned with→ZachXBT(65%)
- ZachXBT→mentioned with→Ethereum(70%)
- ZachXBT→mentioned with→Bitcoin(65%)
- Trenton Richard Johnston→mentioned with→Bitcoin(70%)
- Trenton Richard Johnston→mentioned with→Monero(65%)
- Trenton Richard Johnston→mentioned with→ZachXBT(70%)
- Trenton Richard Johnston→mentioned with→Ethereum(65%)
- Brandon Michael Tardibone→mentioned with→ZachXBT(70%)
- + 6 more
Timeline(7 events)
October 2024
Trenton Richard David Johnston, age 18, enters the United States from Fort Erie, Ontario through the Buffalo, New York port of entry on a 12-month B-2 tourist visa.
CBC News14 March 2026
185 BTC (approximately $13.04 million) stolen from a California victim via a social engineering attack impersonating Google and Trezor support staff. Court records show Johnston messaged Co-Conspirator 1 (Dritan Kapllani Jr.) during and immediately after the theft.
The Crypto Times / DOJMarch 2026
Johnston arrested in North Miami following a traffic stop involving a white Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Deputies discover suspected amphetamines, cannabis residue, and Johnston's status as a visa overstay. Computer, cellphone, and handwritten notes with cryptocurrency codes are seized.
CBC News / IRS Criminal InvestigationApril 2026
Johnston agrees to a removal order issued by a U.S. immigration judge and commits to cooperate with ICE in his own deportation to Canada.
CBC News11 May 2026
Federal criminal complaint unsealed in the Southern District of Florida charging Trenton Richard David Johnston and Brandon Michael Tardibone. Dritan Kapllani Jr. is identified as Co-Conspirator 1; Johnston is named Co-Conspirator 2 in related filings.
DOJ USAO-SDFL / IRS Criminal Investigation12 May 2026
ZachXBT publishes on-chain research linking Dritan Kapllani Jr. to approximately $19 million in alleged social engineering crypto thefts, including the 185 BTC theft, and identifying Johnston's federal charges.
The Crypto Times10 June 2026
Johnston pleads guilty in U.S. District Court, Miami, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Federal prosecutors recommend a sentence of 51 to 63 months. Sentencing date not yet set.
CBC News / DOJDecision Log
- slot 464380043 · hash FQbNCghGHgfLGFdkrnaQj35SDJq3WrtQsqB9qHUCQ7X5
- slot 464380037 · hash 4prA4JhVg8hPQk1ZavtwUhWehnqp85AqfTMyyh25NjdD
- slot 464380032 · hash Er4PRFMdn3U8zxcDYQKyUSaXBf1m6gxjJHND1vrBvjdF
- slot 461961790 · hash CgJKKQssDuhR5ej7f3P1uJJnC2pi1vD4dNag9DbNkRfQ
- slot 429494232 · hash FEeC2kHBqPaS5kRJGssUgKzqNNnrT9zmTp4Z8TA1NG6D
This investigation is cryptographically anchored to the Solana blockchain (5 decisions). 11 of 12 cited source URLs have an Internet Archive snapshot.
model: claude-sonnet-4-6
generated: 6/28/2026, 5:15:10 PM
last updated: 11/2/2026, 5:36:35 AM
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