PANews reported on August 25th that billionaire heiress Taylor Thomson lost over $80 million in digital assets after following investment advice linked to a psychic. Thomson, a member of the family behind media and financial giant Thomson Reuters, invested millions of dollars in crypto assets with the help of her former close friend, Ashley Richardson. Both had previously sought advice from psychics and others, and Richardson later became deeply involved in Thomson's crypto portfolio management. During the 2021 bull market, Richardson reportedly managed over $140 million in crypto assets for Thomson across multiple wallets.

However, the crypto market downturn in mid-2022 severely impacted the portfolio, with consulting firm Guidepost Solutions estimating Thomson's losses at over $80 million. The firm accused Richardson of executing over 450,000 trades without proper authorization, exposing Thomson to high-risk strategies. Richardson denied the allegations, claiming he acted at Thomson's behest and that they had no formal contract. In 2023, Thomson sued Richardson and Persistence. She has since settled with Persistence, but her lawsuit against Richardson remains ongoing.