[17] In a 2014 interview, founder Gerald Cotten explained that the company stored customer funds on paper wallets in safe deposit boxes: "So we just send money to them, we dont need to go back to the bank every time we want to put money into it. More than three years after the sudden death of Quadriga CEO Gerald Cotten and the revelations that the company was a massive cryptocurrency scam, his widow, Jennifer Robertson, tells her side of the story.#Quadriga #GeraldCotten #BitcoinWatch The National live on YouTube Sunday-Friday at 9 p.m. ETSubscribe to The National: https://www.youtube.com/user/CBCTheNational?sub_confirmation=1Connect with The National online:Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/thenationalTwitter | https://twitter.com/CBCTheNationalInstagram | https://www.instagram.com/cbcthenationalMore from CBC News | https://www.cbc.ca/newsThe National is CBC's flagship nightly news program, featuring the day's top stories with in-depth and original journalism, with hosts Adrienne Arsenault and Andrew Chang in Toronto, Ian Hanomansing in Vancouver and the CBC's chief political correspondent, Rosemary Barton in Ottawa. He hopes the Netflix doc will get authorities to "move their asses and do something about it" but also to raise awareness "so it doesn't happen to other people". Did he Die? So, Patryn: shit-stirrer, criminal mastermind or another one beguiled by Cotten? Companies have backups, safeguards to protect against this kind of thing. In that case, $851 million entrusted to Crypto Capital had been "lost, stolen or absconded with", according to the suit. We just send money from our Bitcoin app directly to those paper wallets, and keep it safe that way. Robertson has denied any knowledge of her husband's wrongdoing - and in 2019 returned $9million to the company to repay users. I lost $500,000 life savings in cryptocurrency after 'trader DIED with thinks that Gerald is deadnor did he ever meet his wife. Sign up for our newsletter for the latest tech news and scoops delivered daily to your inbox. But, due to the strict security of crypto, we may never know. Cops believe that Quadriga CX was actually an wide-ranging Ponzi scheme - and Cotten would use fake accounts under the name "Chris Markay" to "buy" his customers Bitcoin using fake cash. On the 9th, he allegedly died after episodes of cardiac arrest. Gerald Cotten Still Alive ? Mystery of rogue Bitcoin trader who 'died' taking with - The Sun Cotten In 2013 was looking for a programmer to help him create a bitcoin marketplace using the account name Murdoch1337 on a BlackHat Forum and this account was last seen active in August 2019 at this point he should have been "dead" for a long time. Where Is Gerald Cotten's Wife, Jennifer Robertson Now? - Ecelebritymirror [42] Another three empty wallets were believed to possibly be owned by Quadriga. did gerry and his wife fake his passing and steal the money? Exit Scam host Aaron Lammer told CoinDesk: "My read was that, on some level, Gerry was addicted to scamming, "Addicted to stealing peoples money. Some 76,000 investors like Zou collectively lost out. Cotten's widow has rarely spoken publicly, but in an affidavit has described herself as being subject to "slanderous comments" over accusations her husband faked his death. Quadriga Fintech Solutions was the owner and operator of QuadrigaCX, which was believed to be Canada's largest cryptocurrency exchange. [27] Another payment processor used by Quadriga, Crypto Capital, was named in a civil suit filed by the New York Attorney General in April 2019. https://bit.ly/3cAIH4j Newest Vid's https://bit.ly/3JkFmEqFollow Us On Facebook https://bit.ly/3oh5cS8Gerald Cotten or Gerry Cotten's life and tragic passing are shrouded in mystery. goes to Cottens hospital in India to put the whole fake death thing to bed. About C$1.2 billion worth of bitcoin was exchanged on Quadriga. Cotten passed away from complications that arose from Crohns disease while on a honeymoon in Indiaapparently taking some $215 million of customer funds to the grave. The thing about conspiracy theories, though, is that they mutate out of control very quickly, and arent always reflective of the latest evidence. Then the Ontario Securities Commission opened an investigation. Widow of Quadriga crypto founder Gerald Cotten says she had no idea [11] Lawyers for the customers of the exchange have asked that Cotten's body be exhumed.[12]. Investors who lost $190m demand exhumation of cryptocurrency mogul [45], In June 2020, the Ontario Securities Commission officially concluded that Quadriga was indeed a fraud and a Ponzi scheme. Still, all this evidence was circumstantialinvestors hadnt yet found a smoking gun. I just prayed. Here Is Why People Think Gerald Cotten Is Still Alive. reporters had a hunch that this was Gerry Cotten, and traced the account to another online den of thieves, BlackHatWorld. So what exactly happened to Cotten, and is he still alive somewhere sitting on a mountain of stolen crypto? I could have put it in stocks. name was not the same as Robertsons ex-husband, some angry investors lobbed death threats at Jennifer, convinced that she had murdered Cotten, too. Mr Patryn pled guilty in 2005 to working in an identity fraud ring, and did business under a company called Midas Gold as an intermediary with Liberty Reserve, a Costa Rican digital currency firm busted as one of the largest money laundering operations in history. A NEW documentary on rogue crypto trader Gerald Cotton, who took up to $215million in Bitcoin and other digital currencies to his grave, has sparked rumours he may have faked his death. A computer issue wiped $14 million of Ethereum off the exchange. Cryptocurrency investors locked out of $190m after exchange founder dies, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Is Gerald Cotten Still Alive? Did He Really Die? - The Cinemaholic Then in January, 2019, Cottens wife Jennifer Robertson announced that he had died a month earlier. Then, out of the blue, one Mike Patryn joined the Telegram group that investors were using to discuss conspiracies. Netflix has tried to get to the bottom of things in its, Trust No One depicts Cotten as a nerdy, happy-go-lucky, and charming CEO, who was knee-deep in, reporter that the banks, which didnt trust crypto exchanges, had, The investors found more questions than answers. It sucks.". Mar. Cotten passed away from complications that arose from Crohns disease while on a honeymoon in Indiaapparently taking some $215 million of customer funds to the grave. You get rid of a lot of the regulations, he said on a podcast in 2014. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The OSC found that after 2016, QuadrigaCX stopped producing consistent data about its holdings, and that large volumes of cryptocurrencies were being sent to foreign crypto exchanges. His death certificate spells his name wrong, he was supposedly buried in a closed casket in Canada even though there is no evidence his body was ever moved from India and why would it need to be a closed casket? Gerald Cotten was 15 when he ran his first documented get-rich-quick scheme. [28], Quadriga used an unusual teller-window system for customers to withdraw their money. His clients were locked out of about $250 million, and investigators later. Where is Gerald Cotten now from Netflix's Hunt for the Crypto - HITC Cotten and Patryn's past: He's also been linked to many other "Cryptocurrency markets" in the past with his old partner Patryn who has changed his name twice because he was charged with laundering money. Jennifer, scared for her safety, entered a safe house. Someone tracked Patryn to a scam forum called TalkGold, where Patryn talked to one user in particular, sceptre, a bunch. Netflix's 'Trust No One': Who Was QuadrigaCX CEO Gerald Cotten? Re-thinking indemnification for smart contract risks", "Bitcoin investors face long delays cashing out, criticize two B.C. The company raised C$850,000 but cancelled plans to list on the exchange in early 2016. Gerald died while on a honeymoon with his wife Jennifer in India, Cotten has been recast since his death as a thrill-seeking scammer, Michael Patryn - real name Omar Dhanani - had previously been convicted of identity fraud, Bitcoin miner electrocuted to death by his computer after forcing it to churn out endless amounts of crypto. Gerald died while on a honeymoon with his wife Je He is believed to have scooped around around $115million in crypto from his own accounts and put them into high risk financial bets - many of which crashed, costing him more money than Quadriga ever actually made. Where is Gerald Cotten's Wife Jen Robertson Now? - The Cinemaholic Its pretty much money by people for people.. Mystery of rogue Bitcoin trader who 'died' taking with him password to His body was repatriated to . And who dies from Crohns disease at 24 years old? Like other crypto-exchanges, Quadriga kept its funds in so-called cold wallets, digital storage devices not connected to the internet, which are safe from hacking. Browse Locations. Front Burner- Inside Canada's Crypto Mystery, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King, "Investigation of Quadriga cryptocurrency debacle turns up only $28 million in assets", "Nothing sinister about bitcoin company CEO's sudden death, friend says", "Troubled Bitcoin trader QuadrigaCX takes another bizarre turn", "Canada's largest cryptocurrency exchange Quadriga seeks creditor protection", "Bitcoin Accounts for 95% of Cryptocurrency Crime, Says Analyst", "Crypto-Exchange Says It Can't Pay Investors Because Its C.E.O. The shocking story has been recounted in a new Netflix documentary, Trust No One: The Hunt For The Crypto King. While the large increase in volume increased commissions, it also caused cash-flow problems due to the exchange's reliance on external payment processors and its lack of a proper accounting system. "[18], The company tried to raise money and list on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) working with Patryn. So the Globe goes to Cottens hospital in India to put the whole fake death thing to bed. What Happened to Jennifer Robertson and Where Is Gerald Cotten's Wife Now? He passed away in 2018 with the secret of $250 million. You transferred them $1,000 and you could see the crypto in your account. Lived In Los Angeles CA, Austin TX, Van Nuys CA . Investigations into the firm revealed that Mr Cotten made numerous fake accounts on Quadriga to influence trades on the platform, at one time being involved personally in 87 per cent of transactions.