Royal Bank of Canada closes Freedom Convoy lawyer’s accounts over "risk concerns"

The Royal Bank of Canada is shutting down a Freedom Convoy lawyer’s accounts over “risk concerns.”

In a July 23 post on X, Freedom Convoy layer Eva Chipiuk revealed that the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) terminated its banking relationship with her, citing “risk-related concerns” due to “recent activity” being outside their “client risk appetite.”

“As a federally regulated financial institution, RBC is required by law to comply with applicable legislation,” the letter, posted on X, read. “These laws require that we implement certain processes and procedures which directly support the formulation of RBC’s positions with respect to risk.”

“After careful consideration, we regretfully advise you that the recent activity in your accounts is outside of RBC’s client risk appetite, and consequently we are no longer in a position to continue our banking relationship with you,” it continued.

The decision followed a flagged Bitcoin transaction, after which RBC froze her account and asked her questions about her crypto activities, which she described to the Western Standard as “strange and demeaning.”

The bank gave her until August 18, 2025, to find a new financial institution, cryptically referencing compliance with federal regulations but providing no specific law or detailed explanation.

Chipiuk, who has been vocal about her criticism of Canadian institutions, suggested the debanking might be linked to her involvement in the Freedom Convoy or her public stance.

Many Canadians responded to the news online, calling out tyrannical government behavior and advocating for Canadians to invest their money in bitcoin and crypto currency.

“This is brazen and astonishing behavior by @RBC towards @echipiuk,” Ontario member of provincial parliament (MPP) Randy Hillier wrote on X.

“Eva is a well-known lawyer in Canada and has been debanked apparently because she is a ‘risk,'” he continued. “It appears that because she uses crypto and is a well known vocal advocate for freedom, she can’t have a bank account.”

“Please note! Everyone of the 5 Canadian bank owns a major stake in each other,” he warned. “Banks are becoming unsafe for Canadians and Credit unions are a safe and better alternative.”

The move is reminiscent of major Canadian banks freezing funds of those who donated to the 2022 Freedom Convoy, under the direction of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Under his invocation of the Emergencies Act, which was later ruled to be unjustified, the Trudeau government took the unprecedented step of freezing the bank accounts of hundreds who donated to and sympathized with the truckers to the tune of almost $8 million.

This is brazen and astonishing behavior by @RBC towards @echipiuk.
Eva is a well-known lawyer in Canada and has been debanked apparently because she is a "risk."

It appears that because she uses crypto and is a well known vocal advocate for freedom, she can't have a bank… https://t.co/Z5JsShDkoI

— Randy Hillier (@randyhillier) July 23, 2025