Two more arrested in Montreal crypto influencer case

Two more people have been arrested in the case of cryptocurrency influencer Kevin Mirshahi, whose body was found in a Montreal park last month.

According to CBC news, Quebec provincial police announced that Darius Perry, 27, and Nackael Hickey, 25, face charges of kidnapping and accessory to the murder of Mirshahi’s alleged abduction.

This development follows the earlier arrest of 32-year-old Joanie Lepage, who was charged with first-degree murder.

Timeline of the case

Mirshahi disappeared on June 21 after she and three others were kidnapped from a luxury apartment in Old Montreal. Police responded to a 911 call reporting a disturbance on the property, but while the other victims were found hours later near a bus stop in Montreal’s west end, Mirshahi was still missing.

Four months later, on October 30, Mirshahi’s body was found in the town of Ahuntsic-Cartierville. Police believe the murder occurred at a house in the town of Les Cèdres in Quebec’s Montérégie region, which was identified during the investigation.

A burnt SUV suspected to have been used in the kidnapping was also seized, according to CBC.

Mirshahi’s crypto connection

Mirshahi, 25, was somewhat of an impressive figure in Montreal’s crypto scene. He ran a private Telegram group “Crypto Paradise Island” with more than 2,500 members and was active on platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, where he promoted investment opportunities.

Quebec’s financial authority, the Autorité des Marchés Financiers, began investigating Mirshahi in 2021. Restrictions were placed on him and his associates, barring them from acting as investment advisors or conducting securities transactions, according to CBC.

In July 2024, shortly after his disappearance, the AMF expanded these restrictions and demanded the removal of some of his social media posts.

Authorities are piecing together how Mirshahi’s cryptocurrency transactions and regulatory issues may have intersected with his death. Police have not disclosed the cause of the incident at this time.

Mirshahi’s death was the 32nd homicide in Montreal of 2024, according to CBC.