Did a crypto addiction drive a woman to murder her own mother? A New Zealand court is now grappling with that chilling question.
In Brief
- Julia DeLuney has a past of financial ruin and digital delusion.
- DeLuney lured her mother, Helen Gregory, into sending thousands of her retirement funds by fabricating Bitcoin trading gains.
- Records show only $1,200 actually went to crypto assets.
- DeLuney is now on trial for allegedly murdering her 79-year-old mother and defrauding her large sums of money.
In what one may call one of New Zealand’s most disturbing cases of financial deception turned deadly, 37-year-old Julia DeLuney is on trial for allegedly murdering her 79-year-old mother. Bitcoin trading and fabricated profits play a central role in the unfolding courtroom drama.
Prosecutors allege DeLuney lured her mother, Helen Gregory, into sending thousands by fabricating Bitcoin trading gains. She claimed a $160,000 crypto windfall, but in reality, her investments were hemorrhaging.
DeLuney allegedly told her mother the investment was “all safe” and requested $18,000 to unlock the fake profits.
However, instead of buying crypto, records show she spent the money on consumer debt, Lotto, and subscriptions with just $1,200 going to actual crypto assets. Then she showed fake crypto screenshots to her mother to convince her. Two days later, Gregory was found dead at the bottom of her attic ladder; a scene police say was staged.
The prosecution paints a picture of a woman consumed by financial ruin and digital delusion, turning to deception, then violence. Between 2023 and 2024, she poured over NZ$150,000 into crypto, while allegedly siphoning NZ$45,000 from her own mother. Chainalysis, a leading blockchain forensics firm, says DeLuney’s attempt to hide behind crypto anonymity was flawed.
“Unlike traditional financial crime, crypto leaves a public trail.”
This trail may now be key evidence.
However, DeLuney denies all charges. Her trial continues.
This case is not just about murder. It raises urgent questions to crypto enthusiasts and to the general society alike. What happens when financial desperation meets digital obsession? Can cryptocurrency, often lauded for transparency, also expose the darkest of motives?
