When crypto investigator @ZachXBT published his findings about Cameron Redman and a massive crypto phishing scam, we were surprised to see SWAPD get a brief mention. The assumption that we were somehow involved with law enforcement in an informal or overly friendly capacity raised a few eyebrows in our community. So, here it is—our side of the story.
Let’s be very clear: we are not in the business of harboring thieves. SWAPD is a digital marketplace that takes fraud seriously and actively works to weed out bad actors. But we also operate under strict jurisdictional and legal frameworks, and user privacy is something we take very seriously.
Who is Cameron Redman?
Cameron Albert Redman, also known on SWAPD under the nickname @Antihero, was a Canadian national involved in one of the most high-profile phishing campaigns in NFT history. According to official court documents and media reports, Redman and his co-conspirators hijacked verified Twitter (X) accounts of major NFT influencers and brands in May 2022. They used these accounts to trick users into connecting their wallets to fake claim/raffle sites, stealing over 250 ETH (~$794,000 at the time). Redman was eventually convicted in the U.S. and sentenced to one year in prison.
SWAPD’s Involvement
Redman was, at one point, a registered member on SWAPD. In December 2023, our company was contacted by the FBI, requesting access to Redman’s user information and activity logs. We asked them to submit the request through proper legal channels, in accordance with Polish law. For context, SWAPD operates under the Polish Telecommunications Act, which includes strong protections for user data. Specifically, Article 159 of the Act prohibits telecom service providers from sharing user data with foreign authorities unless it is first approved by the Polish prosecutor’s office.
Soon after, we were contacted by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Again, they asked for Redman’s info. Again, we said: “Of course, but you need to go through the proper channels.”
What Happened Next
Instead of going the legal route, the Canadian side began applying pressure. They implied that SWAPD and its owners might face legal trouble in Canada, even escalating the matter to Ontario’s Supreme Court. There were vague threats about future travel restrictions for us, which honestly felt excessive (also, who wants to go to Canada anyway?).
This legal back-and-forth dragged on for nearly a year. But eventually, the RCMP did the right thing. The Canadian regional prosecutor met with our regional prosecutor’s office in Poland, and together with our law firm, they filed the appropriate documentation. Once that was done, we complied.
We handed over all of @Antihero’s SWAPD account data. To be honest, there wasn’t much there besides some transaction history showing that he had spent some of the stolen money on our platform. Apparently not satisfied, the authorities also asked for access to the account itself, which we provided.
That Was the End of It
After that, we heard nothing more. We assume the data didn’t lead to a major breakthrough, but it was likely part of the puzzle. As for us, we consider the matter closed.
Also, for those asking whether this saga affected our legal status in Canada: to add a bit of irony to this situation, SWAPD is now moving to Canada and is already headquartered there. So if we’re banned from visiting, it’s going to be one awkward board meeting.
Thanks for reading, and shoutout to @ZachXBT for the amazing investigative work that helped bring Cameron Redman to justice. Just don’t assume we’re passing out data left and right—we follow the law, and we protect our users until that law tells us otherwise.
— SWAPD Team
he we hung up on phishing at first
don’t remove bro