Nova Scotia Judge Orders Return of Bitcoin Wallet to Family of Convicted Killer William Sandeson

A Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge has ordered the return of a Bitcoin wallet to the family of William Sandeson, the former Dalhousie University student convicted of the 2015 murder of Taylor Samson. Justice John Bodurtha ruled that prosecutors failed to link the cryptocurrency holdings to the crime, marking a rare forfeiture defeat for the Crown in a high-profile case. The wallet, which contains an undisclosed amount of Bitcoin, was seized during the investigation into Samson’s death. Sandeson is serving a life sentence for second-degree murder. The decision highlights the growing legal challenges around digital assets in criminal proceedings, as courts grapple with proving the provenance of cryptocurrency. For the Samson family, the ruling adds another layer to an already painful saga. For legal observers, it signals that the Crown must meet a high evidentiary bar when seeking to seize digital wealth. The case may influence how future cryptocurrency forfeitures are argued in Canada.