#CreatorPad Once, in Canada, there was a crypto exchange called QuadrigaCX. In its heyday, it was like a convenience store for crypto — want to buy Bitcoin? They have it. Want to sell Ethereum? Easy. Its founder, Gerald Cotten, was someone who would fit perfectly as a travel blogger on Instagram: sweet smile, traveling abroad, life looking beautiful and carefree.

Initially, everything went smoothly. Canadians deposited money, bought crypto, traded, and profited. But gradually, strange signs began to appear: withdrawals took a long time, always citing "technical issues." Strangely, these technical issues never got resolved, but the CEO's vacation photos were still frequently posted.

Then came December 2018, the plot twist that made this drama worthy of Netflix. Cotten reportedly died in India from Crohn's disease. He was only 30. This news caused a stir, but what caused even more of a stir: it turned out he was the only person who knew the password to the cold wallet where all Quadriga's assets were stored. And that cold wallet supposedly contained crypto worth 190 million Canadian dollars.

Investors are starting to panic. "Can't we take the money?!" The answer: no, we can't. The password went "away" with Cotten to the afterlife. But upon further investigation, it turns out that the cold wallet had been empty for months before his death. The money has disappeared somewhere — some used for personal trading, and some for buying properties and a lifestyle that, well... can't be called simple.

This is where wild speculation begins. Some believe Cotten really died. Others are convinced he just faked his death, escaped with a new identity, perhaps sipping cocktails on a tropical beach while checking Bitcoin prices on his phone. His body has never even been DNA tested, although many victims have requested an exhumation. The Canadian government did investigate, but the results were clear: QuadrigaCX is defunct, the money is gone, and as for the perpetrator? Even if he is still alive, he is likely far out of reach.

In crypto, if all control is in the hands of one person, it's not a company, but a lottery. And if the exchange's CEO posts too often about luxurious vacations while saying "don't worry," it's usually a code for... well, you should start worrying right now.