Taylor Thomson, the billionaire heiress of the Thomson Reuters empire, is currently in a high-stakes court battle after alleging she lost more than $80 million in cryptocurrency investments while in the care of her former trusted friend, Ashley Richardson. The Wall Street Journal said both spoke with spiritual advisors, and/or psychics, including Michelle Whitedove and astrologer Robert Sabella.
From inner sanctum to financial freefall
Thomson and Richardson quickly became close friends after a 2009 Malibu party, and the two were inseparable for ten years. Built on a mutual spirituality and spontaneous cross state trips, the friendship ended suddenly in the middle of a crypto boom in 2021; the heiress had put over $40 million into the Persistence (XPRT) token after both psychics had affirmed it.
Crash, lawsuit, and allegations of unauthorized trades
After the crypto market crashed, and the Persistence token decimated nearly 99% of its value, they saw apocalyptical losses. Cointelegraph reports Guidepost Solutions, a forensic consulting firm hired by Thomson – assessed total losses of more than $80 million, and found more than 450,000 unauthorized trades as a main driver. In 2023, Thomson sued Richardson, and the Persistence project for at least $25 million, and claimed Richardson arranged a finder’s fee, and did so in secret.
From glamour to grief—Richardson strikes back
Richardson denies any wrongdoing, saying she implemented trades at Thomson’s direction and operated under a verbal agreement. She maintains she never personally profited and that huge amounts of trades had to be executed for sparsely-traded tokens. Meanwhile, her life has come crashing down: once affluent, she now allegedly drives for Uber and sought food stamps. She counter-sued for $10 million, charging defamation after being labeled a fraud.
A cautionary tale of trust, spiritualism, and crypto risks
This saga highlights the danger of coupling wealth, informal agreements, and enigmatic advice. What began as a personal friendship, propelled by spirituality, eventually deteriorated into a nasty courtroom fight – involving broken friendships, financial ruin, and competing narratives. The ongoing case serves as a sobering reminder for everyone: in uncertain markets, informal arrangements, especially informal arrangements guided by unusual directions, can inflict consequential harm.
