Eva Chipiuk, a lawyer known for her involvement in the Freedom Convoy and vocal criticism of Canadian institutions, has been blindsided after the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) terminated its banking relationship with her, citing risk-related concerns.According to an official letter the banking institution sent to Chipiuk, her “recent activity was outside of RBC’s client risk appetite,” and it would “no longer be in a position to continue serving her.”The bank has given her until August 18, 2025, to find an alternative financial institution.Chipiuk says the move came after a flagged transaction involving a bitcoin purchase.“The last interaction I had with RBC before they closed my account was when they froze it after I transferred some money to purchase bitcoin,” Chipiuk told the Western Standard.“I called them to confirm the transaction was legitimate.”.Judge orders RCMP and TD Bank to release records in Freedom Convoy bank freeze case .Chipiuk says RBC told her they would have to consult their fraud department and then proceeded to ask her, “a number of very strange and demeaning questions.”“Eventually, they cleared the account and told me to ‘be careful with crypto,’” she revealed.She insists the bank gave no further explanation, only sending a letter saying her account would be closed in 30 days.RBC’s official correspondence says that it is acting in accordance with federal regulations.“As a federally regulated financial institution, RBC is required by law to comply with applicable legislation,” it reads.“We are no longer in a position to continue our banking relationship with you.”.‘HIGHLY POLITICIZED’: External review on RCMP management of Freedom Convoy released.Randy Hillier, a former Independent MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston took to social media, saying, "banks are becoming unsafe for Canadians and Credit Unions are a safe and better alternative."This comes at a time when Freedom Convoy organizers Tamara Lich and Chris Barber are currently on trial for the mass protest against COVID-19 mandates in 2022 in downtown Ottawa, and onlookers can’t help but think there may be some connection.“It’s hard to say,” Chipiuk said when asked about a possible connection. “There is no mention of that from RBC, and again, the last issue raised with my account was the bitcoin transfer.”However, Chipiuk admits in today’s political climate, “it is not hard to imagine that certain names might be flagged or monitored more closely, whether justified or not.”She went on to say she can’t confirm that is what happened but “can’t rule it out either.”.Chipiuk has since opened a new account at Bow Valley Credit Union and is exploring legal options.She admits what has happened to her could set a troubling precedent.“If financial institutions can cut you off without explanation, without notice, and without due process, that is a serious problem in a free society,” she stated. “It creates fear and uncertainty, especially when there is no transparency or recourse.“We need to have a serious conversation about the power banks hold and what protections Canadians have, because right now, any protections are quickly eroding."
