See more stories on Insider's business page. Customers have since struggled to regain access to their money, citing withdrawl issues and lack of communication from the company. She also wrote her own book, Bitcoin Widow: Love, Betrayal and the Missing Millions, with Stephen Kimber, about her relationship with Cotten and the collapse of Quadriga. Besides that, she was not part of her husband's company and did know little about the company. He honed his talent for building websites in high school, occasionally running into trouble for his investment schemes. The couple acquired about $12-million in assets, including more than a dozen properties, a Cessna airplane and a yacht. Some still find it hard to fathom that Mr. Cotten could be so reckless. Over the years, Mr. Cotten built dozens of websites, sometimes registered in his own name. As Robertson admitted that only her husband knew the password, he was charged with staging his death. Attorneys for QuadrigaCXs customers have asked that Cottens body be exhumed before spring 2020, given decomposition concerns. The request appears likely to spark a legal battle, as Robertson, his widow, told Canadian media outlets in a statement through her attorney that she was heartbroken by the possibility and that her husbands death should not be in doubt.. You will have to read further if you want to uncover the truth about Gerry. There [were] many things about Quadriga that I didn't understand," reports CBC. He was the founder and chief executive officer of QuadrigaCX. Gerald was the only one who had access to QuadrigaCXs cold storage and held the private keys and passwords. According to the Netflix documentary, at least 110,000 customers were affected. The Globe spent months following where it led. In 2016, Cotten became the sole director of Quadriga when all the other directors resigned. On Quadriga, about C$1.2 billion in bitcoin was exchanged. The Globe and Mail determined the account belonged to him through an e-mail address. Customers were able to withdraw money through a unique teller-window arrangement at Quadriga. Gerald Cotten: Net Worth Before he Died. While they were staying in Jaipur, it was reported that Gerry Cotten had succumbed to Crohns disease. By that time, a new digital currency called Liberty Reserve was gaining popularity. Since the settlement, Robertson revealed the number of death threats she has received. Twenty-four hours later, he was dead taking valuable secrets and cryptocurrency passwords with him to the grave. According to all the news reports, Gerry had succumbed to Crohns disease. Where Is Gerald Cotten Wife Jennifer Robertson Today? Age Net In 2014 only C$7.4-million worth of bitcoin was exchanged on Quadriga. He completed his graduation with Bachelors Degree in Business Management. Daisy Jones And The Six: Is Daisy Behind The Fallout Of The Band? Gerald Cotten He honed his talent for building websites in high school, occasionally running into trouble for his investment schemes.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail, As a teenager in Belleville, about a two-hour drive east of Toronto, Mr. Cotten never made a secret of his interest in computers and his talent for developing websites. As ordinary human beings, we all have this thought at some point in our lives that being a millionaire or a billionaire must be so good. Gerald Cotten was born in 1988 and from Toronto, Canada. Jennifer Robertson is a well-known Canadian Actress, comedian, and writer who has made several film and television appearances. The news of his demise reached us almost about a month later after he actually passed away on 9 th December 2018. He was taken to a private hospital and initially appeared to have travelers diarrhea, officials told the Globe and Mail. Lets, Read More Laura Luz Is Married To Mary Chelo, Family And Net WorthContinue, Standing in front of the camera and talking for long hours can be tough for lots, Read More Kelly Nash : Career, Boyfriend & Net WorthContinue, Modeling is a tough task when you have to start from the grassroots level with no, Read More Sofia Jamora: Early Life, Parents, Career & Net WorthContinue, Your email address will not be published. According to the investigation, Gerald passed away from Crohns illness, but several others attempted to take their money immediately after his passing. Cotten had allegedly told his wife he would create a mechanism that would allow her to access all of his crypto-related passwords should he die but he never did. Just four days before the trip, the magazine noted, Cotten had written a will. Some of those accounts were under Star Wars-inspired pseudonyms such as "Aretwo Deetwo" and "Seethree Peaohh.". The gripping documentary explores the rise and fall of Gerald "Gerry" Cotten and his cryptocurrency exchange, Quadriga CX, and even addresses the conspiracy theories surrounding his untimely death. Running HYIPs wasnt necessarily easy money. After serving time in a U.S. prison for his role in a money-laundering scheme, Omar Dhanani, shown at left in a police photo from 2005, reinvented himself as Michael Patryn, shown at right in a YouTube interview streamed in 2015. Following the CEO's death, millions in fortune were being settled in Jennifer's name but she shockingly forfeited the large sum of money. He married Jennifer Robertson in 2018, and the couple spent a lot of their time in 2018 traveling to exotic locations. How Much Money Did Gerald Cotten Steal? But at one point, he seems to have forgotten which account he was using and answered a post directed at sceptre while signed in under his new handle. In June, Ernst & Young LLP, the court-appointed trustee overseeing the proceedings, provided the first real glimpse of what Mr. Cotten was doing behind the glow of his computer screen. ", As Vanity Fair reported, QuadrigaCX initially attracted users because it seemed less risky than other bitcoin trading platforms. About $115m of that was due to Mr Cotten's fraudulent trading, it said. Also Read:Cristina Rae Has A Son With Her Husband Don Lewis, Family And Net Worth. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Transactions were also irreversible, leaving no recourse for investors who wanted their money back. It had been licensed by FinTRAC, the Canadian anti-money-laundering task force, and Cotten often told reporters that the fact that the exchange was based in Canada meant that investors know where their money is going.. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. One of those curious websites sparked to life in 2012, about a year before Mr. Cotten and Mr. Patryn launched Quadriga. From Tiger King to Making a Murderer, Netflix has seen a surge in true-crime docuseries. Gerald Cotten had an estimated net worth of $80 million at the time of his death. According to a source with direct knowledge of the matter, Mr. Cotten started an entity called HD-Money in 2008. (The line was removed on later versions of the site.) The Customers stated that there was no one in the office when they came, or that there was no cash to be disbursed. Despite this, Ernst and Young found that these deposits were used in trades involving real cryptocurrency on the Quadriga exchange. Official investigations into the matter have yet to produce any definitive answers. No evidence has emerged to prove that Cottens death was faked. Crypto CEO's Mysterious Death Will Be Made Into Netflix Doc Gerald Cotten Looking up the IP address of the server where a couple of the sites linked to Mr. Cotten were hosted, for example, reveals a constellation of long-abandoned HYIP websites. The streaming service announced the feature alongside a slate of upcoming true-crime projects last week. The Netflix documentary will follow investors-turned-investigators looking into theories on the founder's sudden death. As it turns out, I befriended this criminal, this guy who ultimately stole from my family, my friends and me.. Iam Entertainment Blogger and CEO of Walikali and also Lead Editor, you can contact me at Email: Walikalinew@gmail.com. Quadriga collapsed dramatically this past January, a month after Mr. Cotten died at age 30 on his honeymoon in India due to complications from Crohns disease. In 2022, Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King will be released. In January 2004, when Mr. Cotten was 15, he apparently launched a website called S&S Investments and promoted it on TalkGold. On various online forums, including TalkGold, Mr. Patryn was rumoured to be hiding a criminal past and living under an assumed name. Cotten Not to sugar-coat, but this disease shortens your life span. Mr. Cotten, who had just finished ninth grade at a high school in sleepy Belleville, Ont., tapped in the username sceptre and revealed nothing else about himself. As of 2020, it had surpassed the pack of other streaming behemoths by creating the most true-crime projects. #blackAF Season 2 Release Date And Other Details. In the wake of Cotten's death, Robertson inherited millions of dollars in real estate holding, but in October 2019 she returned CA$12 million worth of assets to This is a trick that most business people put to use in their corporate worlds to get more customers. Ernst & Young alleged Cotten had created Quadriga accounts under different names, and received Substantial funds, according to The New York Post. The crypto millionaire then died unexpectedly in India three years ago from Crohns illness complications. Quadriga did not have a bank account, according to Ernst & Young, and instead relied on third-party payment processors. He started the firm in order to profit from the impending Operated by a company of the same name in Costa Rica, it had no anti-money-laundering controls and did not verify client information. It is not clear how the exhumation or an autopsy to confirm the cause of Gerrys death from complications arising from his Crohns disease would assist the asset recovery process further, she wrote. According to all the news reports, Gerry had succumbed to Crohns disease. Despite the fact that conspiracy theories are just that, and there is no proof to back them up, people are still blaming and supporting them. If you think about scamming ordinary people, you might become a successful individual, but that success becomes short-lived. When Canadas largest cryptocurrency exchange, QuadrigaCX, announced the death of its co-founder and chief executive, Gerald Cotten, in January, condolences flooded in from around the world. Wiki: Net Worth, Facts. In February, his widow, who provided Canadian authorities with a copy of his death certificate, called the rumors slanderous.. As per the rumors he is faking his death to avoid paying the hefty sum of money that he has stolen from the people. On 5 March 2019 Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Michael Wood extended Quadrigas court protection to 23 April. The company raised C$850,000 but decided not to list on the exchange in the first quarter of 2016. He had previously lived in California as Omar Dhanani and offered a money-laundering service through Shadowcrew.com, an online marketplace for stolen credit-card and bank-card numbers. Bob Robertson and Linda Cullen are her parents. He was the founder and chief executive officer of QuadrigaCX. That education also gave Mr. Cotten with the wile and the nerve he needed for the business he eventually co-founded and operated as an adult: QuadrigaCX. The ongoing investigations have been complicated by the complex, highly technical nature of cryptocurrency. Hidden behind fake names and software to obscure his location, he experimented with shady ventures of his own and pushed them on the forum. One expert who was interviewed by the RCMP told Vanity Fair that he had been shocked by the investigators unfamiliarity with bitcoin and believed that the case was completely out of their wheelhouse. And after Ernst & Young took control of QuadrigaCXs finances, the auditors inadvertently transferred bitcoin valued at nearly half a million in Canadian dollars to cold wallets that no one could access. He was the founder and chief executive officer of QuadrigaCX. While the substantial rise in volume enhanced commissions, it also generated cash-flow issues due to the exchanges reliance on third-party payment processors and lack of an adequate accounting system. Unfortunately, we cannot trace his social media account. The seized assets reportedly amount to $12 million. Siblings And FamilyContinue, Kenya Kinski-Jones is an American fashion model who is known for her campaign with various high-profile, Read More Kenya Kinski-Jones Biography- Mother, Boyfriend & Net WorthContinue, Being an actress is an easy task, but maintaining the legacy for an extended period is, Read More Brandy Ledford Bio- Husband, Career & Net worthContinue, The lead of Disneys Mila in the Multiverse, Laura Luz, is a popular Mexican actress. Well let you know as soon as Jennifer reveals the truth about her personal life and financial situation. In the wake of Cotten's death, an investigation by the Ontario Securities Commission found Quadriga CX was essentially a "Ponzi scheme." Furthermore, before his death, Gerry signed over $9.6 million of his property and assets to Jennifer. But the gastroenterologist who treated Cotten in India told the paper that no autopsy was completed, and he was not at all certain about what had happened. Nice work with S&S, another TalkGold user wrote to him through AOL Instant Messenger in 2004, according to a chat transcript provided to The Globe. Michael Perklin is an old friend of Mr. Cotten and is now chief information security officer at the cryptocurrency exchange ShapeShift.io. His date of death: December 9, 2018. Gerald Cotten Wiki, Biography, Age, Spouse, Net Worth, Fast Facts Gerald Cotten is the founder and CEO of Quadriga Fintech Solutions. Cotten The anticipated value of Jennifer Robertsons net worth in 2022 is $2.5 million. Essential reporting and analysis from correspondents around the world. Who Is Jennifer Robertson Husband Gerald Cotten? On February 5, 2019, he passed away during a trip to Jaipur, India. He was a wealthy guy when he died. Shortly after U.S. authorities shut down Liberty Reserve, the HD-Money website was scrubbed clean, except for a disclaimer saying the service was not available in the U.S. Paris, 2014: Mr. Cotten smiles outside the 'Bitcoin House,' a then-newly-founded cryptocurrency exchange. Some Quadriga users did not believe this was the case as they claimed they had received deposits from Robertson directly, contradicting her claims she was not involved in the company's dealings. Trying Season 4 Release Date: When To Expect? Mr. Cotten had founded Quadriga the previous year. Last month, Ms. Robertson agreed to transfer nearly all of her assets to Ernst & Young for liquidation and released a statement saying she was unaware of her husbands improper actions while managing Quadriga. Lina is a content writer for TV Shows Stars. Gerald Cotten: Net Worth Before he Died. Where Is He Now? WebCotten rose to prominence after his passing in December 2018. Robertson has always maintained she did not know her husband was effectively running a scam. The firms blockchain analysts located some of QuadrigaCXs cold wallets, only to discover that most of them were empty. Netflixs Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King focuses on the circumstances surrounding Gerrys sudden death and what happened to the money that customers had on the platform. HD-Money styled itself after Liberty Reserve and was even featured as a merchant partner on its website for a while. Age, Wife, Baby, Bike, Wikipedia -Salary, Net worth, Height, Bio. Read the original article on Business Insider, See more stories on Insider's business page, Thailand's 'most beautiful transgender woman' and husband wear $580K in attire at extravagant wedding, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; 'We are coming,' sheriff says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh's new mugshot revealed after double life sentence, Rebel Wilson says she was banned from Disneyland for 30 days for taking a bathroom selfie, SoCal in for cool start to weekend, but light rain makes brief return, Skill game ban works against Kentuckys small businesses | Opinion, Cueto managed by Schumaker, 13 years after brawl with Cards. Gerald Cotten When he was a 15-year-old in Belleville, Ont., Gerald Cotten was selling get-rich-quick schemes on online forums that taught him how to deceive investors and cover his tracks. And, if the rumors about Gerald taking all of his customers money are true, he now has about $250 million in his possession. The small group of friends and family who gathered at his closed-casket funeral on a brisk day in Halifax knew him as an affable cryptocurrency obsessive with an easy smile, who was settling into a life of domesticity with his wife and their two Chihuahuas. In its report, Ernst and Young said the company lacked "critical infrastructure" and had almost no records or formal books in which to track the tens of millions of dollars in transactions. In her book, Bitcoin Widow: Love, Betrayal and the Missing Millions, Robertson recalls people close to Cotten panicking and asking for her late husband's Quadriga passwords in the wake of his death. La socit de Gerald Cotten, QuadrigaCX, tait la plate-forme dchange de crypto-monnaie incontournable au Canada avant que sa mort prmature ne change tout.