Three Canadian soldiers charged in crypto kidnapping with stolen army ammo
- Toronto police charged seven people, including three army reservists, in a July crypto kidnapping.
- They recovered about 2,500 rounds of ammunition stolen from the Canadian military.
- Trained soldiers are allegedly turning to violent crypto extortion, a crime wave increasingly carried out by teenagers recruited online in France and the UK.
Police have arrested three reserve members of the Canadian Armed Forces along with four others accused of staging a crypto kidnapping in Toronto. The seven-person gang now faces 82 criminal charges.
Police named Talarambage Fernando, 22, James Moreau, 29, and Jack Miley, 24, all of the 7th Toronto Regiment, as the three service members involved in the kidnapping. Fernando and Moreau hold the rank of bombardier.
The attack described by Staff Supt. Joe Matthews as a sign of the “increasingly sophisticated and targeted nature of crimes involving digital assets” sharply contrasts with the ad hoc crew of social media-recruited teenagers that have been arrested and prosecuted in France and the UK.
Reserve Canadian Army members kidnap investor for crypto
Police officers in Toronto opened the investigation on July 25 after receiving a report of an abduction near Finch and Bayview avenues.
As narrated by Staff Supt. Joe Matthews, the kidnappers demanded the victim’s cryptocurrency holdings and “business-related security systems” after handcuffing and assaulting him at gunpoint near his vehicle.
The victim said that the kidnappers warned him not to report to the police before letting him go. That warning did not work though, and police arrested two people after flagging the suspect vehicle within a day of the incident.
The perpetrator list has grown since then, with Police Chief Myron Demkiw and Matthews briefing reporters at a Toronto police news conference that seven people now face 82 charges, including kidnapping for ransom and forcible confinement and firearms offenses.
Toronto crypto kidnappers used stolen military ammunition
Toronto officers seized a shotgun, 2,500 rounds of ammunition, firearms fitted with 3D-printed receivers, GPS trackers, a crossbow with arrows, Canadian cash, and methamphetamine and cocaine from the gang.
They traced the seized ammunition rounds back to the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The CAF confirmed it owned the ammunition, even though it had not flagged it as missing before the police seized it.
The 7th Toronto Regiment that the kidnapping suspects are attached to is a reserve artillery unit under Canada’s 32 Canadian Brigade based at the Moss Park Armoury on Queen Street East.
Demkiw pointed out the concern to the public and to officers when people with that level of training “prepared to engage in what is alleged here.”
France and UK crypto kidnappers are teenagers
The military background of the Toronto crew contrasts with the profile of attackers in Europe, especially France and the UK. France’s organized-crime prosecutor PNACO reports that shadowy organizers use social media to hire young, often first-time operatives.
French prosecutors have charged more than 10 minors since 2023. One of the suspects arrested in connection with an incident was a 17-year-old found playing video games at home.
Cryptopolitan reported that three Sheffield teenagers were jailed in February for a $4.3 million knifepoint theft after posing as delivery drivers.
Chainalysis counted 46 reported wrench attacks worldwide in the first half of 2026, with home invasions jumping from a single reported case in 2025 to 20, and more than $30 million stolen, on pace to pass 2025’s $58 million record.
Don’t just read crypto news. Understand it. Subscribe to our newsletter. It's free.
FAQs
Who was charged in the Toronto crypto kidnapping?
Toronto police named three Canadian Armed Forces reservists, Talarambage Fernando (22), James Moreau (29) and Jack Miley (24), among seven people facing 82 charges. All three belong to the 7th Toronto Regiment based at the Moss Park Armoury.
How much military ammunition was recovered, and was it reported stolen?
Police seized roughly 2,500 rounds later traced to the Canadian Armed Forces. According to Supt. Joe Matthews, the military had not reported the ammunition as stolen but confirmed it was theirs.
How does the Toronto case compare to crypto kidnappings in France and the UK?
France has logged 77 violent incidents in 2026 and charged 88 people, often teenagers recruited over social media, while the UK saw a reported $800,000 knifepoint robbery and a $4.3 million theft by Sheffield teens. Chainalysis counted 46 wrench attacks globally in the first half of 2026, with over $30 million stolen.
Disclaimer. The information provided is not trading advice. Cryptopolitan.com holds no liability for any investments made based on the information provided on this page. We strongly recommend independent research and/or consultation with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions.
Hannah Collymore
Hannah is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of blog writing and event reporting experience in the crypto space. At Cryptopolitan, Hannah contributes to the news page, reporting and analyzing the latest developments in DeFi, RWA, crypto regulation, AI and frontier tech industries. She graduated from Arcadia university with a degree in Business Administration.
