Montréal, Quebec, September 18, 2025 – In an unprecedented operation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Federal Policing – Jap Area has executed the biggest cryptocurrency seizure in Canadian historical past, recovering over 56 million {dollars} from the now-defunct TradeOgre trade platform.
This marks the primary time Canadian regulation enforcement has dismantled a whole cryptocurrency buying and selling venue, sending a transparent message to illicit actors exploiting unregulated digital asset providers.
On the morning of September 18, RCMP officers executed court-authorized search and seizure warrants at a number of knowledge facilities and servers linked to TradeOgre.
A warning message was posted on the platform’s web site, declaring: “This website and its cryptoassets have been seized by the RCMP.”
The flash discover changed the trade’s buying and selling interface and displayed contact numbers for reporting associated felony exercise.
Investigators estimate that greater than 56 million {dollars} in numerous cryptocurrencies—together with Bitcoin, Ethereum and a number of other privateness cash—have been frozen in the course of the operation.
TradeOgre had operated since early 2021 as an unregistered “privacy-first” cryptocurrency trade, permitting customers to commerce with out offering private identification.
Investigators allege that the platform facilitated cash laundering by failing to register with the Monetary Transactions and Experiences Evaluation Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), in direct contravention of Canada’s Cash Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act.
This contravention rendered its operators and customers inclined to felony expenses as soon as the investigation reached its conclusion.
Investigation Particulars
The Cash Laundering Investigative Workforce (MLIT) of the RCMP opened the case in June 2024, following a tip from Europol concerning suspicious transactions originating from TradeOgre’s infrastructure.
MLIT detectives, cybercrime specialists and monetary crime analysts collaborated to hint blockchain flows and establish obfuscated transfers.
The investigation uncovered that TradeOgre’s operators intentionally structured server areas and communication protocols to evade detection.
By routing visitors via a number of jurisdictions and refusing Know Your Buyer (KYC) procedures, they enabled a gentle stream of felony proceeds to enter the platform.
Because the RCMP labored in live performance with worldwide regulation enforcement companions, a number of synchronized actions in Europe and Asia disrupted the operators’ resilience, culminating within the seizure of the platform’s infrastructure final week.
Their forensic evaluation revealed that almost all of funds transacted on TradeOgre originated from darknet markets, ransomware payouts, and different illicit actions.
Transaction knowledge extracted from corrupted TradeOgre databases is now present process additional evaluation. RCMP consultants are matching pockets addresses to felony profiles, aiming to establish suspects and construct prosecutable instances.
Preliminary findings counsel a number of organized crime teams and cybercriminal syndicates exploited TradeOgre’s anonymity options to launder illicit positive aspects, with funds reaching as excessive as 10 million {dollars} per day on the peak of its exercise.
Subsequent Steps and Public Attraction
With the seizure full, the RCMP has signaled that felony expenses in opposition to TradeOgre’s directors and complicit contributors will observe as soon as proof assortment and authorized critiques conclude.
The company is coordinating with FINTRAC to evaluate potential regulatory failures and suggest coverage enhancements to stop the reemergence of comparable unregistered platforms.
In a broader name to motion, the RCMP urges members of the general public to return ahead with info associated to cash laundering, cryptocurrency fraud, or monetary crimes.
People possessing particulars concerning the unlawful actions of operators or customers related to TradeOgre—or any unregistered trade—are inspired to contact the RCMP tip line at 514-939-8300 or toll-free at 1-800-771-5401, or attain out to their native police division.
This operation underscores Canada’s dedication to combating digital asset crime and safeguarding the integrity of the monetary system.
By dismantling TradeOgre, the RCMP has demonstrated its functionality to pursue illicit actors throughout decentralized networks, setting a precedent for future enforcement within the quickly evolving cryptocurrency panorama.
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