A Montrealer is facing an extradition request from the United States, where he is considered a mega-drug trafficker on the dark web, after being betrayed by a pendant found during an invasion of his home that allowed investigators to identify it.
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"The pendant showed a symbol used by the alias AlpraKing in photos used to display drugs sold on the dark web," say US authorities in the request for Alexandre Beaudry.
The 31-year-old man is this resident of L'Île-des-Sœurs who found himself at the heart of a violent home invasion in his luxurious condo on May 12. Two assailants attacked him to get their hands on the password to his wallet containing tens of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.
Although he seemed to lead a tidy life, Beaudry had already faced justice, in 2015 receiving 18 months in house arrest for producing and trafficking steroids and counterfeit drugs.
But this time around, he faces much more serious allegations, as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) suspects him of being a mega-trafficker who allegedly sold millions of smuggled Xanax pills on the dark web, among other things. under the aliases AlpraKing, Quantik or BenzoChems.
An impressive empire
Several elements in the extradition request paint a portrait of the impressive empire that Beaudry would have managed to build, according to DEA experts, to sell this depressant used against anxiety, very popular among young people.
Beaudry was said to have been such a big player in the sale of Xanax that one of the biggest drug dealers in the United States agreed to work under him and pay him a percentage of his profits. This underling could sell 1 million pills every month, the petition reveals.
According to the DEA, the Montrealer and his associates sourced their supplies from suppliers in China. The drug was sometimes delivered directly to those who placed orders on the dark web.
In other cases, counterfeit Xanax was allegedly delivered in bulk to accomplices in Canada and the United States, only to be resold in smaller quantities.
Extensive computer analyzes
Following a long investigation involving extensive computer analysis, the cross-checking of open information, the investigation of bank accounts, but also thanks to repentant witnesses, Beaudry was finally able to be identified.
Only one small piece of the puzzle was missing, however, which turned out to be the symbol on Beaudry's pendant, the same one that was associated with salesman AlpraKing. The American authorities then hastened to request his arrest in Montreal, in order to avoid any risk of flight.
Beaudry was arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police last week. He will return to court on Friday for further proceedings. It is defended by Mes Claude Boucher and Debora de Thomasis.
The Montrealer beaten up in his luxurious condo on the 29th floor of a tower in L'Île-des-Sœurs last May was allegedly targeted by two criminals who wanted to seize the password to his cryptocurrency wallet containing tens of millions of dollars.
This is what Alexandre Beaudry allegedly told the Montreal police after the two masked and armed men burst into his home and then tried to tie him up.
According to what he said, he managed to take the weapon from the hands of one of the assailants. That's when they started beating him. He was finally able to take refuge in a room to call for help.
“US authorities believe that this attack is related to the fact that Beaudry is in possession of a substantial sum of bitcoins, can we read in an extradition request. [They] believe that Beaudry will take measures to increase his security, to further hide his assets, or will abscond. »
An astronomical value
According to the court document, server scans by investigators revealed that between March 2015 and July 2017, Beaudry managed to sell Xanax to the point of pocketing just 6,100 bitcoins using just three aliases. At current prices, this represents the colossal sum of more than $161 million.
Other computer analyzes indicate that in total, Beaudry would have amassed up to 18,000 bitcoins through 22,000 transactions.
The astronomical profits that Americans attribute to Beaudry could explain why he was able to buy his condo in L'Île-des-Sœurs for $1.7 million without taking out a mortgage.
The information reported in Le Journal last May was also cited in the request of Connecticut state prosecutors who want to subject the Montrealer to a criminal trial.
Stopped at home
It was finally on June 30, 59 days after being the victim of the home invasion, that the 31-year-old man was handcuffed in his condo.
The warrant said he had to be at home for authorities to arrest him, and authorities were astute in making sure of that.
Montreal police therefore gave him an appointment to present him with photos of potential suspects.
Immediately after the meeting, officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police arrested him. Their fear was that he would decide to flee justice – he had already mentioned the idea – because he was to be warned the next day by his bank in Switzerland that the Americans were interested in his accounts.
“In private communications, Beaudry discussed millions he allegedly amassed and kept in offshore accounts or in cryptocurrency wallets,” US authorities claim.
In a publication on the Reddit site, which the American authorities attribute to Alexandre Beaudry, the latter boasts of being a former "kingpin" of the dark web and of being "responsible for the Xanax epidemic in America".
“Between January 2016 and July 2017, the AlpraKing alias made at least 1,300 sales of controlled substances, primarily alprazolam (Xanax), and received over 3,000 bitcoins from customers. »
“DEA agents are aware that Beaudry has expressed concerns about being extradited to the United States and facing a substantial prison sentence. »
“Beaudry and his accomplices have significant financial resources from drug trafficking that could allow them to flee justice. »
