Billionaire heiress Taylor Thomson, part of the wealthy Thomson Reuters family, is locked in a multi-million-dollar legal battle after claims that crypto advice inspired by a psychic caused her to lose more than $80 million in cryptocurrency. The extraordinary dispute combines fortune, friendship, and the volatile world of digital assets.

From Psychic Readings to Crypto Bets

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the saga began when Taylor Thomson and her long-time friend Ashley Richardson sought advice from a celebrity psychic and other spiritual advisers. The guidance did not stop at personal matters. It extended into financial decisions, including the management of Thomson’s rapidly growing cryptocurrency portfolio during the 2021 bull run.

Richardson soon became deeply involved in the heiress’s finances. By mid-2021, she was reportedly overseeing more than $140 million worth of crypto holdings spread across multiple wallets. The advice, influenced in part by spiritual consultations, led to an aggressive trading strategy at the height of the digital asset boom.

Heavy Losses During Market Downturn

The crypto winter of mid-2022 dramatically reduced the value of many digital tokens, and Thomson’s holdings were not spared. A consulting firm, Guidepost Solutions, estimated her total losses at over $80 million.

Thomson alleges that Richardson executed more than 450,000 trades on her behalf without proper authorisation. These trades, she claims, exposed her to unnecessary risks in illiquid tokens and left her portfolio vulnerable when the market collapsed.

Richardson has rejected the allegations, insisting that every decision was made with Thomson’s knowledge. She said the trades were necessary to provide liquidity in thinly traded markets and that there was no formal contract governing her role only an informal, verbal agreement. Richardson also emphasised that she did not profit personally from the arrangement.

“Everything I did was based on her instructions, as part of her effort to minimise losses,” Richardson told the WSJ.

The Persistence (XPRT) Token Investment

One of the most controversial aspects of the case is Thomson’s investment in Persistence (XPRT), a proof-of-stake blockchain launched in 2021. Reports indicate that she invested around $40 million into its native token.

At its peak in May 2021, the XPRT token traded at $16.59, according to CoinGecko. By August 2025, it had plunged to just $0.037, a fall of more than 99%. The collapse alone wiped out tens of millions from Thomson’s portfolio.

Thomson has accused Richardson and Persistence of secretly arranging a “finder’s fee” for Richardson in connection with the investment. She alleges misrepresentation and a breach of trust.

Persistence and Thomson have since reached a settlement, but the claims against Richardson remain in court.

Legal Battle and Countersuit

The fallout from the financial losses quickly escalated into litigation. In 2023, Thomson filed a lawsuit against Richardson and Persistence, seeking $25 million in damages. Her legal team has argued that Richardson acted improperly, failed to protect Thomson’s wealth, and manipulated her into reckless investments.

Richardson has fought back, filing a $10 million countersuit against Thomson. She accuses the heiress of defamation, claiming that Thomson falsely told associates she had committed fraud.

A spokesman for Thomson has maintained her stance, saying: “Ms Richardson has taken her bogus story to the media in an attempt to extract more money from Ms Thomson.”

Lessons from a Costly Dispute

The extraordinary saga of Taylor Thomson and Ashley Richardson highlights the risks of mixing personal relationships, unconventional advice, and speculative investment markets. What began as a friendship and shared spiritual consultation spiralled into a financial disaster involving hundreds of millions of dollars.

For crypto investors, the case is another reminder of the dangers of following unverified guidance and chasing high-risk strategies during market booms. The collapse of Persistence’s token shows how quickly fortunes can vanish when projects fail to maintain value.

The legal fight between Thomson and Richardson is ongoing, but regardless of the outcome, the episode has already earned a place among the most dramatic cautionary tales in cryptocurrency history.