The CEO of WonderFi, a publicly traded cryptocurrency holding company that operates one of Canada's largest crypto exchanges, has been released unharmed following a kidnapping incident, as reported by Canada's CBC.

Dean Skurka was forcibly taken into a car during rush hour in Toronto, with the abductors demanding a hefty ransom for his release. Skurka was freed after a ransom payment of approximately 1 million Canadian dollars (around $720,660).

In a public statement, Skurka reassured clients that "client funds and data remain safe, and were not impacted by this incident."

Police in Ontario have noted a troubling increase in crime, with gun violence in the Greater Toronto Area reaching unprecedented levels. The Consensus 2025 event is set to occur in Toronto in May.

As the crypto market remains buoyant, highlighted by Bitcoin's recent all-time high, cases of kidnapping and extortion related to cryptocurrencies are also on the rise. Authorities in Thailand recently apprehended 12 individuals, including seven police officers, tied to a crypto kidnapping and extortion ring that allegedly extorted 10 million USDT from a Chinese national after fabricating criminal charges.