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B.C. Wins Default Forfeiture of $1 Million in Cash and Gold Tied to QuadrigaCX Co‑Founder

The default judgment tests B.C.’s unexplained wealth order by opening a path to liquidation with possible routing of proceeds to Quadriga creditors.

Overview

  • The Supreme Court of British Columbia granted a civil forfeiture judgment transferring cash, 45 gold bars, watches, and jewelry linked to Michael Patryn to the Province after he did not defend the case.
  • The haul, valued at roughly $1 million and including more than $250,000 in cash, was seized from a CIBC safety deposit box and bank account under an Unexplained Wealth Order following earlier RCMP discovery.
  • The ruling clears the way for the Province to liquidate the assets while initiating a separate process to assess whether any proceeds can be directed to QuadrigaCX creditors.
  • Patryn initially challenged the investigation on constitutional grounds but later withdrew his response and did not appear when the Province sought judgment, resulting in a default outcome.
  • Authorities asserted in filings that the assets were tied to misappropriated customer funds at QuadrigaCX, which collapsed in 2019, with bankruptcy proceedings in 2023 returning about 13 cents on the dollar to claimants.