The crypto influencer’s body was discovered after a three-month search in Montreal

Authorities have confirmed that the body of Kevin Mirshahi, a cryptocurrency influencer kidnapped in June, has been found in Montreal. A pedestrian discovered Mirshahi’s remains in the Île-de-la-Visitation park, located in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville district, on October 30.

Mirshahi’s death has added to the rising number of homicides in Montreal, bringing the city to its 32nd case this year.

Kidnapping and killing of Kevin Mirshahi

As reported by The Gazette, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) announced on Tuesday that the remains, which were decomposing, were identified through an autopsy.

The 31-year-old was last seen on June 21 after being kidnapped along with three other people from a condominium in Old Montreal. Police were initially alerted to the incident after a 911 call reporting a dispute in the area of ​​Commune and St-Hubert streets. The other three captives managed to escape and were located within a few hours.

Mirshahi, however, remained untraced and his high-profile disappearance gained public attention due to his role in the cryptocurrency space and as the owner of Crypto Paradise Island, a private investment firm he founded .

The group became embroiled in a bomb and dump scheme involving a cryptocurrency called Marsan (MRS). It was launched by Antoine Marsan and Bastien Francoeur of Marsan Exchange on April 14, 2021 and was promoted by Mirshahi in exchange for payment in Marsan tokens. After reaching a peak value, the coin’s price plummeted more than 92% just four days later, leaving more than 2,000 young investors with massive losses.

That’s when Quebec’s Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) launched an investigation against Mirshahi and his company. As part of this, Mirshahi faced a ban from acting as an investment broker or adviser, in securities transactions and from publishing related content.

The ban, extended on July 4, 2024, also required him to remove certain social media posts. However, reports from Le Journal de Montréal suggest he ignored it and continued to run a Telegram group called “Amir” promoting crypto investments.

The latest development comes three months after Canadian authorities arrested a 32-year-old woman, Joanie Lepage, who is believed to be involved in Mirshahi’s abductions and death.

Cryptocracy on the rise

The kidnapping and murder of cryptocurrency influencer Mirshahi is part of a disturbing trend of violence targeting cryptocurrency executives and influencers. Haichao Zhu, co-founder of Rooch Network, was recently robbed at knifepoint in Bangkok just before Ethereum’s Devcon conference.

This follows a pattern of similar incidents at major crypto events, including the Ethereum Community Conference (EthCC) in Brussels, where multiple violent clashes occurred. One such attack saw Kilt Protocol’s Rishant Kumar defending himself from an attacker.

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