Taylor Thomson, 66, a member of Canada’s wealthy Thomson family, is suing her former friend Ashley Richardson over a failed cryptocurrency investment. The investment, which the two friends made together, was reportedly recommended by a psychic. Richardson, 47, now works as an Uber driver and is representing herself in the case. She claims to have lost her entire personal wealth in the investment, while Thomson reportedly lost around $80 million. The fallout from the investment has also ended their friendship.

Thomson and Richardson met in 2009 at a party in Malibu. Richardson, who grew up in a wealthy area of Monterey County, California, has a background in social media marketing, having worked with major companies like Ford and McDonald’s. Despite their financial differences, Richardson stated, "The reason we could be friends is because there was no financial connection."

However, Richardson has expressed concern over how others treated Thomson due to her wealth. She described an incident at an art fair in London where attendees flocked to Thomson, saying, "People know who she is and know she will drop millions. It was nauseating."

Their friendship deteriorated in 2022 after the cryptocurrency they invested in crashed. Thomson has accused Richardson of making risky trades without her knowledge, a claim Richardson denies. She blames Thomson for the collapse of their friendship and her financial struggles. Additionally, Richardson alleges that Thomson made an inappropriate advance during a trip to British Columbia in 2019, which a spokesperson for Thomson has denied, calling it "false."

Thomson's investment in the cryptocurrency was influenced by a newsletter from psychic Michelle Whitedove, which recommended the Persistence crypto coin. Richardson brought the idea to Thomson, who also consulted her own psychic, Robert Sabella, before investing. According to Thomson's spokesperson, she would use Sabella as a sounding board but would not base major decisions solely on his advice.

Richardson invested most of her savings into the coin, while Thomson reportedly contributed over $40 million. Richardson claims she advised Thomson against investing an additional $60 million after initial gains. In a twist, Thomson allegedly sent an email to her brothers, accusing them of limiting her investment opportunities, a claim her spokesperson refutes.

The Thomson family is valued at approximately $98.15 billion, making them one of Canada’s richest families. Their holding company, Woodbridge, controls a significant portion of Thomson Reuters and other major assets. Taylor Thomson, the only daughter in the family, has had a complicated relationship with her family's wealth and has pursued a career in acting.

During their trading activities, Richardson claims she dedicated up to 20 hours a day to researching cryptocurrencies and managing trades for Thomson, at times overseeing $140 million of her investments. After the market crash in 2022, Thomson sought legal action to recover her losses, filing a lawsuit against Richardson and Persistence in 2023 for at least $25 million, alleging they misled her about potential returns.

Thomson's lawsuit claims that Richardson received a finder’s fee of $783,702 from Persistence, which Richardson disputes, stating that the fee was contingent on the investment being profitable. In July, Thomson and Persistence reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount. Richardson has since filed a countersuit for $10 million, alleging defamation by Thomson. In her court filings, she asserts that Thomson made independent investment decisions and that she never executed trades without Thomson's approval.

In a final message to Thomson, Richardson expressed her devastation, stating, "Because of you I have lost everything, and you decided to sue the person who had nothing left to lose. I loved you more than anything." Their last text exchange reportedly included harsh language, with Richardson expressing her feelings of betrayal.