Forcount Crypto Scheme Promoters Plead Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy

Two promoters of the Forcount cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme plead guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, admitting their role in defrauding investors of $8.4 million.

Points

• Antonia Perez Hernandez and Nestor Nunez plead guilty to wire fraud conspiracy.
• The Forcount scheme defrauded investors of $8.4 million.
• One promoter, Juan Tacuri, agreed to forfeit $4 million and properties.
• Sentencing for Hernandez and Nunez is pending.

In a significant development in the fight against cryptocurrency fraud, two promoters of the Forcount Ponzi scheme have pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Antonia Perez Hernandez and Nestor Nunez admitted their involvement in defrauding investors of $8.4 million by promoting crypto trading and mining opportunities that promised substantial returns.

Cointelegraph

The guilty pleas were entered during a hearing at the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on July 22. Hernandez and Nunez, along with other defendants, operated Forcount between 2017 and 2021, targeting primarily Spanish-speaking investors. They lured victims with false promises of high returns through crypto trading and mining activities.

Juan Tacuri, another promoter involved in the scheme, has also pleaded guilty and agreed to forfeit approximately $4 million and properties purchased with funds from the victims. Tacuri is scheduled to be sentenced on September 24. At the time of publication, no sentencing hearings had been scheduled for Hernandez and Nunez.

The Forcount case is one of several high-profile cryptocurrency fraud cases pursued by U.S. authorities. Notably, former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried is currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for fraud related to the misuse of customer funds. Former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao is also serving a four-month sentence for violating U.S. money laundering laws.

解説

• The guilty pleas in the Forcount Ponzi scheme case mark a significant step in holding perpetrators of cryptocurrency fraud accountable.
• The scheme defrauded investors by falsely promising high returns from crypto trading and mining, highlighting the risks associated with such investments.
• U.S. authorities are increasingly focused on pursuing and prosecuting cases of crypto-related fraud, as seen in other high-profile cases involving FTX and Binance executives.
• These legal actions underscore the importance of regulatory oversight and investor vigilance in the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency market.