Montréal, Quebec, September 18, 2025 – In an unprecedented operation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Federal Policing – Eastern Region has executed the largest cryptocurrency seizure in Canadian history, recovering over 56 million dollars from the now-defunct TradeOgre exchange platform.
This marks the first time Canadian law enforcement has dismantled an entire cryptocurrency trading venue, sending a clear message to illicit actors exploiting unregulated digital asset services.
On the morning of September 18, RCMP officers executed court-authorized search and seizure warrants at multiple data centers and servers linked to TradeOgre.
A warning message was posted on the platform’s website, declaring: “This site and its cryptoassets have been seized by the RCMP.”
The flash notice replaced the exchange’s trading interface and displayed contact numbers for reporting related criminal activity.
Investigators estimate that more than 56 million dollars in various cryptocurrencies—including Bitcoin, Ethereum and several privacy coins—were frozen during the operation.
TradeOgre had operated since early 2021 as an unregistered “privacy-first” cryptocurrency exchange, allowing users to trade without providing personal identification.
Investigators allege that the platform facilitated money laundering by failing to register with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), in direct contravention of Canada’s Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Prevention Act.
This contravention rendered its operators and users susceptible to criminal charges once the investigation reached its conclusion.
Investigation Details
The Money Laundering Investigative Team (MLIT) of the RCMP opened the case in June 2024, following a tip from Europol regarding suspicious transactions originating from TradeOgre’s infrastructure.
MLIT detectives, cybercrime specialists and financial crime analysts collaborated to trace blockchain flows and identify obfuscated transfers.
The investigation uncovered that TradeOgre’s operators deliberately structured server locations and communication protocols to evade detection.
By routing traffic through multiple jurisdictions and refusing Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures, they enabled a steady stream of criminal proceeds to enter the platform.
As the RCMP worked in concert with international law enforcement partners, multiple synchronized actions in Europe and Asia disrupted the operators’ resilience, culminating in the seizure of the platform’s infrastructure last week.
Their forensic analysis revealed that the majority of funds transacted on TradeOgre originated from darknet markets, ransomware payouts, and other illicit activities.
Transaction data extracted from corrupted TradeOgre databases is now undergoing further analysis. RCMP experts are matching wallet addresses to criminal profiles, aiming to identify suspects and build prosecutable cases.
Preliminary findings suggest several organized crime groups and cybercriminal syndicates exploited TradeOgre’s anonymity features to launder illicit gains, with funds reaching as high as 10 million dollars per day at the height of its activity.
Next Steps and Public Appeal
With the seizure complete, the RCMP has signaled that criminal charges against TradeOgre’s administrators and complicit participants will follow once evidence collection and legal reviews conclude.
The agency is coordinating with FINTRAC to assess potential regulatory failures and recommend policy enhancements to prevent the reemergence of similar unregistered platforms.
In a broader call to action, the RCMP urges members of the public to come forward with information related to money laundering, cryptocurrency fraud, or financial crimes.
Individuals possessing details about the illegal activities of operators or users associated with TradeOgre—or any unregistered exchange—are encouraged to contact the RCMP tip line at 514-939-8300 or toll-free at 1-800-771-5401, or reach out to their local police department.
This operation underscores Canada’s commitment to combating digital asset crime and safeguarding the integrity of the financial system.
By dismantling TradeOgre, the RCMP has demonstrated its capability to pursue illicit actors across decentralized networks, setting a precedent for future enforcement in the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency landscape.
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