scheme
China-Based Crypto Ponzi Scheme Generates $1 Billion Before Being Flagged
A cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme was reported by Chinese law officials, but not before fraudsters reaped more than $1 billion profit from it.
RyanAir CEO Declares Bitcoin a Ponzi Scheme, Urges Public Boycott
RyanAir CEO Michael O’Leary has declared Bitcoin (BTC) a Ponzi scheme and has urged the boycott of the premier digital currency.
DoJ Charges BitClub Promoter for Role in $722 Million Crypto Fraud Scheme
A Californian man pleaded guilty for his involvement in perpetrating BitClub Network, a cryptocurrency mining scheme that generated at least $722 million.
US Prosecutors Unseal Indictment of $20 Million Dollar Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme
US prosecutors have recently indicted a group of investment scammers who have orchestrated a cryptocurrency mining fraud following a Ponzi scheme protocol.
US CFTC Charges New York Crypto Trader with Fraud Involving Digital Asset Ponzi Scheme
A New York native has been charged with fraud for allegedly scamming $5 million from more than 175 investors using a crypto Ponzi scheme.
Dave Portnoy Calls Bitcoin “A Ponzi Scheme,” but Says He Will be Back for Crypto
Dave Portnoy revealed that he had previously bought $1.25 million worth of Bitcoin, despite thinking the cryptocurrency was just a “just one big Ponzi scheme.”
New Crypto Fraud Scheme In South Korea: What Rules Are in Place to Stop False Advertising?
The Ponzi scheme disguised as a crypto platform managed to acquire over $380 million USD for the CEO and other company staff. Corner Up was promising estimated returns of up to 200% to investors for each investment made.
Bitclub Crypto Ponzi Scheme Suspects Petition Court For Release Citing Coronavirus Fears
Two men accused of operating a crypto Ponzi scheme, the BitClub Network, which defrauded thousands of investors out of $722 million, have requested a New Jersey federal court to grant them a temporary release. The two prisoners have petitioned a New Jersey federal judge as they fear they could contract the coronavirus if they are not freed from the enclosed county jail environment.
Ethereum, Cardano and Other Altcoins Slandered by Blockstream CEO as Ponzi Schemes
Blockstream CEO Adam Back publicly stated that Ethereum and other altcoins were Ponzi schemes, angering Ethereum co-founders Vitalik Buterin and Charles Hoskinson.
Accused Co-Founder of $9 Million Crypto Ponzi Scheme Declares Not Guilty in Court
The co-founder of Zima Digital Assets, Zachary Salter and his associate, 28-year-old John Caruso jointly declared not guilty to charges of money laundering and conspiracy to attempt wire fraud during arraignment in an Arizona court on March 4.
Leaked FinCEN Files: $137M Linked to Crypto Ponzi Scam OneCoin Laundered Through Bank of New York Mellon
A leaked trove of US official documents revealed that five major banks were involved in illicit transactions pertaining to mobsters and crypto Ponzi schemes.
Forsage Founders Indicted for Alleged $340 Million "Global Ponzi" Scheme on Ethereum Blockchain
Oregon's federal grand jury indicted Forsage's founders. "Global Ponzi and pyramid scam" investors lost $340 million on the site.
JPEX Claims 70% of Voting Users Agree to Dividend Scheme; Lawmaker Warns of Debt Risks
JPEX, a virtual asset trading platform suspected of illegal operations, has proposed a DAO stakeholder dividend scheme. While 70% of participating users have agreed, lawmaker Huang Junshuo warns of potential debt risks. The platform is also under legal scrutiny, with ongoing investigations into fraud.
Debt Box vs SEC: Court Reverses Asset Freeze, Raises Questions on SEC's Conduct
Debt Box is suing the SEC for misrepresentation of evidence in obtaining an asset freeze, citing potential sanctions for misleading arguments.
SEC Withdraws Lawsuit Against Debt Box Amid Misleading Evidence Controversy
The SEC has withdrawn its lawsuit against Debt Box, accusing it of a $50 million fraudulent scheme, paving the way for future charges and a significant shift in crypto firm regulatory landscape.
Romanian Programmer Confesses to Orchestrating BitClub Crypto Scam Worth $722 Million
Silviu Catalin Balaci, a 35-year old Romanian citizen living in Germany, has owned up to helping create BitClub Network, a crypto mining Ponzi scheme that siphoned off investors’ funds worth $722 million.
CFTC Nabs 2 Crypto Fraudsters Involving in a $44M Ponzi Scheme
Two suspected cryptocurrency fraudsters Sam Ikkurty of Portland, Oregon, and Ravishankar Avadhanam of Illinois have been charged by the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for illegally soliciting as much as $44 million through Ponzi-like scheme
Mangofarm Scandal: Solana's Blockchain Ensnared in Alleged Ponzi Scheme Ties
Mangofarm, Solana blockchain, cryptocurrency scam, Banana Miner Ponzi scheme, digital currency security, blockchain fraud, crypto investment caution, Richard Matthew John O’Neill, decentralized finance, investor vigilance
SafeMoon LP Compromised
SafeMoon, a cryptocurrency project endorsed by celebrities, announced its liquidity pool was attacked, but gave no further details. Experts suggest a recent software upgrade may be to blame for the vulnerability that allowed an attacker to remove SafeMoon tokens and sell them at an inflated price.
Brazilian Couple Behind $400M Crypto Ponzi Scheme Nabbed in Argentina
Authorities in Argentina have arrested a Brazilian couple accused of masterminding a $400 million cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme.
Crypto Token Backed by $25M Diamond Ponzi Scam Flagged by DoJ
The US Department of Justice charged a Florida native with wire fraud, for soliciting investors in a diamond-backed cryptocurrency Ponzi and investment scam.
Australian and Los Angeles Residents Charged in $25 Million AI Crypto-Trading Ponzi Scheme
The DOJ indicts David Gilbert Saffron and Vincent Anthony Mazzotta Jr. for running a $25M AI crypto Ponzi scheme, involving fictitious entities, false promises, and misuse of investor funds.
'Black Swan' Author Slams Bitcoin, Calls It a 'Gimmick' and a Ponzi Scheme
After having previously invested in Bitcoin, Black Swan author Nassim Taleb has changed his mind regarding the leading cryptocurrency. He now thinks Bitcoin resembles a Ponzi scheme and explains why.
CertiK: Crypto Social Media Scams Surge
CertiK discusses the growing threat of crypto scams on social media, citing a FTC report revealing over $1 billion lost in the 18 months leading to June 2022, with nearly half coming from social media interactions. It suggests preventive measures like hardware wallets and smart contract security audits.
Crypto Investment Fraud Generates $27 Million, SEC Charges Scammers Posing as Pastors
The US Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against three men posing as pastors who defrauded churchgoers in a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme.
CFTC Demands $572 Million in Penalty and Restitution for Bitcoin Scam, Defendant Nowhere to be Found
US CFTC demanded that the founder of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency scam company Control-Finance pay $572 million in penalty and restitution fees for Bitcoin fraud.
Chinese Authorities Crack Down on 54.8 Million USDT Money Laundering Scheme
Chinese authorities crack a major USDT-linked money laundering case, arresting 21 suspects and seizing over 1M yuan.
US SEC Charges “Bitcoiin2Gen” Executives with Defrauding Investors In $11.4 Million Crypto Scheme
Bitcoiin2Gen executives have been charged by the US SEC for allegedly securing millions from investors based on a crypto ICO scam shilled by Steven Seagal.
Ex-CEO of Investment Firm Pleads Guilty to Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme
Peter Kambolin, the ex-CEO of Systematic Alpha Management, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to commit commodities fraud involving cryptocurrency futures contracts, as revealed by the DOJ on October 12, 2023. The case, marking a milestone as the first of its kind, unveils a "cherry-picking" scheme where Kambolin misallocated profitable trades to his accounts, misrepresenting trading focuses to investors. With legal proceedings underway, Kambolin faces up to five years in prison, showcasing the authorities' resolve against financial fraud in the crypto sector.
PlusToken Crypto Scam Masterminds to Serve 11 Years in Prison
The ringleaders of the PlusToken Ponzi Scheme have been charged with 11 years of prison after they stole cryptocurrencies worth 14.8 billion yuan.
SEC Sues 11 Individuals involving Forsage Crypto Ponzi Scheme
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has filed charges against 11 defendants of the popular Forsage crypto pyramid and Ponzi scheme.
Google Sues Unknown Entities for Malware Scheme Disguised as AI Chatbot Bard
Google is suing individuals for a malware distribution scam involving false AI chatbot ads, aiming to protect users and intellectual property amid growing digital security challenges.
Co-Founder of AirBit Club Sentenced to 12 Years for Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme
Pablo Renato Rodriguez, co-founder of AirBit Club, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for orchestrating a global cryptocurrency pyramid scheme. Co-defendants await sentencing, and the group has been ordered to forfeit approximately $100 million in assets.
Musk Requests Dismissal of $258 Billion Dogecoin Pyramid Scheme Lawsuit
Elon Musk and his legal team have requested the dismissal of a $258 billion lawsuit accusing him of operating a pyramid scheme to promote the cryptocurrency Dogecoin. Musk's lawyers dismissed the lawsuit as a "fanciful work of fiction" in a federal court hearing on March 31.
Elizabeth Warren Wants SEC to Double Down on Crypto Enforcement
Warren wants the SEC to "double down" on crypto enforcement. The U.S. senator said that the previous SEC administration "basically gave the green light" to a cryptocurrency market "full with trash tokens".
BitConnect Founder Charged with Orchestrating Global Crypto Ponzi Scheme Worth $2.4B
A U.S. grand jury indicted Satish Kumbhani, the founder of BitConnect, orchestrating a fraud scheme that siphoned approximately $2.4 billion from investors.
Former IcomTech CEO Marco Ochoa Sentenced for Wire Fraud Involving Crypto Ponzi Scheme
Marco Ochoa, ex-CEO of IcomTech, has been sentenced to five years in prison for wire fraud in a crypto Ponzi scheme, with a $914,000 forfeiture and two years of supervised release.
Chinese Police Arrest 27 Kingpins of Plus Token Bitcoin Scam Worth $5.7 Billion
Chinese authorities have arrested all 27 primary criminal suspects involved in the Plus Token Ponzi scheme that defrauded nearly 40 billion Chinese yuan, approximately $5.7 billion from victims.
CEO of IcomTech Pleads Guilty in Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme
Marco Ruiz Ochoa, former CEO of IcomTech, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in a large-scale cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme. The company falsely promised high returns on cryptocurrency investments and used promotional tactics to lure victims. Ochoa now faces up to 20 years in prison.
OneCoin's Former Legal Head Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Money Laundering
Irina Dilkinska, former OneCoin legal head, has admitted to wire fraud and money laundering charges in the cryptocurrency pyramid scheme, facing a potential ten-year prison term, while co-founder Ruja Ignatova remains fugitive.
Bank of England halts Silicon Valley Bank UK branch operations
The Bank of England has ordered the Silicon Valley Bank's UK branch to halt its operations as it has limited presence and no critical functions supporting the financial system. The bank will be placed into a Bank Insolvency Procedure, and eligible depositors will be paid out by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme up to the protected limit of £85,000, with the remaining assets and liabilities being managed by bank liquidators. UK venture capitalists and a nonprofit organization have expressed concern as several startups and investors have significant exposure to the SVB UK, including prominent blockchain VCs who have over $6 billion in assets at the bank.
Mining Capital Coin CEO Indicted for Masterminding $62M Crypto Ponzi Scheme
Mining Capital Coin CEO Luiz Capuci Jr is indicted Friday for orchestrating a scam that defrauded investors around the world of about $62 million, according to the U.S. Department of Justice
Crypto Project Baer Chain Has Been Classified as a Ponzi Scheme by the Chinese Police Department
The police department of the Haizhou district in Lianyungang, a coastal city in China published a notice on " information verification and registration of investment members of the Baer Chain case” on June 15. According to the notice, the project has been classified as a Ponzi scheme.
Bitcoins Used in Facebook Scheme to Scam Suicidal Victims Into Buying Drugs
A cybercriminal ring operation has been inciting Facebook users to employ Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, in exchange for drugs. This investigative report from the UK depicts the strategic techniques used to track down the unknown villains operating behind this devious scheme.
ASIC Bans BitConnect National Executive for His Part in Multi-Billion Dollar Crypto Ponzi Scheme
Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has officially banned a former National Representative of BitConnect from providing financial services for seven years.
CFTC Charges Four Individuals Behind Alleged Bitcoin Fraud Scheme "Global Trading Club"
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has charged four people for allegedly soliciting funds from clients to speculate in Bitcoin price movements.