Joe Novak was deceived by a fake online romance that led him to invest $280,000 in a scam, highlighting the dangers of sophisticated crypto fraud schemes known as 'pig-butchering' which have drained billions from victims in the US.
Do Kwon, the South Korean crypto entrepreneur behind the collapse of TerraUSD and Luna, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and wire fraud in the US, facing up to 25 years in prison for misleading investors and artificially inflating the value of his digital currencies, which resulted in an estimated $40 billion loss in 2022.
Sam Bankman-Fried, convicted of crypto fraud and sentenced to 25 years, is expected to be released over four years early due to good conduct and participation in prison programs, with an estimated release date in December 2044.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, has been found guilty on all seven counts of fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering in one of the highest-profile financial crime cases in years. The charges include wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities fraud. Bankman-Fried, a former cryptocurrency billionaire, could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for some charges. The verdict comes after FTX's bankruptcy in 2022, which cast a cloud over the entire crypto industry.
Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX cryptocurrency exchange, is expected to testify in his criminal fraud case after weeks of testimony from witnesses who accused him of using customer deposits for personal gain. Bankman-Fried is accused of orchestrating a scheme to use up to $10 billion in customer funds for venture investments, real estate purchases, and lavish spending. The defense argues that Bankman-Fried acted in good faith and did not intend to defraud customers. Prosecutors have presented a strong case, and Bankman-Fried's decision to testify is seen as a risky move.
A former investment banker at Deutsche Bank has pleaded guilty to crypto fraud, according to CNBC Crypto World. The banker's guilty plea comes as part of ongoing efforts to crack down on fraudulent activities in the cryptocurrency industry.
Federal prosecutors have asked a judge to remove five charges against FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, including bribery of a foreign government official, after a Bahamas court ruling cast doubt on whether the US government had followed the correct procedure for bringing the charges against the former billionaire. The charges have been "severed," or punted to 2024, giving the federal government ample time to ensure the conditions of the US-Bahamas extradition treaty have been met, and to satisfy concerns from the Bahamas government.