Billionaire Heiress Loses $80M in Crypto After Psychic’s Advice Sparks Legal Battle

Taylor Thomson — one of Canada’s wealthiest heirs and a member of the family behind the Thomson Reuters media empire — is locked in a high-stakes legal battle with her former best friend, Ashley Richardson, after losing more than $80 million in cryptocurrency investments.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the saga began at the height of the 2021 crypto bull run, when both women sought guidance from a celebrity psychic and other spiritual advisors.

Following those consultations, Richardson became heavily involved in managing Thomson’s crypto portfolio, which grew to more than $140 million across multiple wallets.

But when the crypto market crashed in 2022, much of the fortune evaporated. An independent review by Guidepost Solutions estimated Thomson’s losses at more than $80 million under Richardson's directive who had executed over 450,000 trades without Thomson's knowledge, exposing the heiress to high-risk strategies.

A $40M Bet on XPRT Turns Sour

The financial collapse fractured their friendship and quickly escalated into a legal confrontation. Thomson argues that Richardson’s trading decisions directly fueled her massive losses and is suing for damages.

Richardson, however, denied any wrongdoing. Speaking to the WSJ, she claimed she acted strictly under Thomson’s “direct instructions” and only carried out trades to preserve liquidity in volatile, thinly traded tokens.

She also emphasized there was no written contract between them — only an oral agreement — and insisted she never personally profited from Thomson’s investments.

“Everything I did was based on her instructions, as part of her effort to minimize losses.”

One of the most damaging investments was Thomson’s $40 million allocation into Persistence’s native token, XPRT, a proof-of-stake blockchain asset.

At its peak in May 2021, XPRT traded at $16.59. Today, it hovers around $0.037 — a stunning 99% decline.

Thomson now accused Richardson and Persistence of secretly arranged a “finder’s fee” linked to her investment and accuses both parties of misrepresentation. In 2023, she escalated the feud by filing a $25 million lawsuit.

Richardson Countersues Amid Ongoing Dispute

The legal drama didn’t stop there. Richardson struck back with a $10 million countersuit, accusing Thomson of defamation. She claims the heiress told associates she had committed fraud, an allegation Richardson fiercely denies.

Thomson’s camp, meanwhile, dismissed Richardson’s defense as nothing more than “a bogus story” designed to extract more money.

While Thomson and Persistence have since reached a settlement, the legal case against Richardson remains unresolved — leaving one of Canada’s most dramatic crypto disputes still unfolding.