A 20-year-old Canadian, Trenton Johnston, was sentenced this week in Miami federal court to 25 months in prison for his part in a scheme that posed as Google support, crypto companies and wallet maker Trezor to trick people into handing over the codes that unlock their crypto. He and an accomplice took 185 bitcoin, worth about $13 million at the time, from one victim in California, according to court reporting. The lesson is simple: real support never asks for your codes or recovery phrase. Anyone who does is the thief.

Key facts

  • Who: Trenton Johnston, 20, of Canada, plus an accomplice
  • What: Posed as Google support, crypto companies and Trezor to get victims' access codes, then took their crypto; he pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy
  • Sentence: 25 months in prison, below the 51 to 63 months prosecutors asked for; a wire fraud count was dropped
  • How much: 185 bitcoin, about $13 million at the time, from one California victim; he handed over about $3.8 million
  • Source: CBC News and Cybernews, reporting the court case

The call sounded like help. That was the whole trick. A 20-year-old Canadian, Trenton Johnston, was sentenced this week in Miami federal court to 25 months in prison for a scheme that posed as Google support, crypto companies and the wallet maker Trezor to get victims to hand over the codes that protect their crypto, CBC News reported.

What happened

Johnston started in January 2024, when he was 17, according to the court reporting. He and an accomplice reached out to people as "support" staff. Once a victim gave up their access codes, the money was gone. One victim in California lost 185 bitcoin, worth about $13 million at the time, Cybernews reported.

The money went on a Lamborghini Aventador SVJ, two BMWs, jewelry and private jet rentals. Johnston was arrested on March 24, 2026, and has been in custody since. He pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy, a wire fraud count was dropped, and he handed over about $3.8 million in crypto. Prosecutors asked for 51 to 63 months; the judge gave 25. He has agreed to be sent back to Canada and still faces a separate drug charge in Florida.

How a fake support call works

These calls and messages tend to follow one script. Someone says they're from Google, your exchange or your wallet maker. They say your account is under attack or locked. They sound calm and know a few details about you. Then they ask you to "verify" by reading out a code, typing your recovery phrase into a page, or moving your coins somewhere "protected." Each of those hands them the keys.

That's why yesterday's Coinbase customer data leak matters. Leaked contact details are exactly what makes a stranger on the phone sound real.

What real support never asks for

  • Your recovery phrase. No wallet maker, exchange or tech company will ever ask for it. Not on the phone, not in a form, not "to verify."
  • Your login or two-step codes. A code sent to your phone is for you to type into the real app, never to read to a person.
  • Remote access to your computer. Hang up on anyone who asks you to install a screen-sharing app.
  • Moving your coins to a "protected" address. There's no such thing. That's the theft.

If a call or message worries you, end it and contact the company yourself through its app or a website address you type in. More on fake wallet support scams.

If it already happened

Move anything left to a new wallet with a new recovery phrase, then file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov). Save the phone numbers, messages and wallet addresses first; this reporting checklist shows the rest. And watch for the follow-up: fake "recovery" firms that promise to get your coins back for a fee. Here's how recovery scams work.

Sources: CBC News, Canadian 'tremendously sorry' after spending stolen crypto on Lamborghini, BMWs, jewelry (October 2026), Cybernews, Crypto scammer steals $13M in Bitcoin, brags on Signal (2026), Cryptopolitan, Johnston gets 25 months for $13M crypto theft, below plea recommendation (October 2026).