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He got 20 years in prison for a $4 billion cryptocurrency scam. His alleged accomplice is still on the run | CNN

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He got 20 years in prison for a $4 billion cryptocurrency scam. His alleged accomplice is still on the run | CNN



CNN
 — 

Ruta Ignatova, the infamous “Cryptoqueen,” remains a fugitive after getting on a plane and vanishing six years ago. But her former partner is going to prison.

A New York federal judge has sentenced Karl Sebastian Greenwood to 20 years behind bars for his role in a global cryptocurrency scheme that scammed investors out of more than $4 billion.

Ignatova boarded a flight in Sofia, Bulgaria, in October 2017 and vanished, leaving Greenwood and her other business partners to take the fall for their failed company. She’s been on the run since and remains the only woman on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted list.

More than 3 million people invested in the pair’s fraudulent cryptocurrency, OneCoin, making it one of the largest global fraud schemes ever perpetrated, US Attorney Damian Williams said.

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Greenwood, 46, is a citizen of Sweden and the United Kingdom. Federal prosecutors say his “mastery as a salesman” helped build OneCoin’s initial success.

“Greenwood and his co-conspirators, including fugitive Ruja Ignatova, conned unsuspecting victims out of billions of dollars with promises of a ‘financial revolution’ and claims that OneCoin would be the ‘Bitcoin killer,’” Williams said in a statement after the sentencing last week.

“In fact, OneCoins were entirely worthless, and investors were left with nothing, while Greenwood lined his own pockets with over $300 million.”

Prosecutors say Greenwood and Ignatova leveraged Bitcon’s success to capitalize on the scheme. Ignatova called herself the “Cryptoqueen” and touted their company as a lucrative rival to Bitcoin in the growing cryptocurrency market.

“In two years, nobody will speak about Bitcoin anymore,” she said at a splashy investor event in London the year before she disappeared.

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But authorities said OneCoin was a pyramid scheme that defrauded investors in the US and around the globe. Court documents say Ignatova and Greenwood were aware from the start that their ambitious venture was a Ponzi scheme.

While they were working on the concept for OneCoin, they referred to it in emails as a “trashy coin,” federal officials said in court documents. The documents show  Greenwood described their investors as “idiots” and “crazy” in an email.

“It might not be (something) really clean or that I normally work on or even can be proud of (except with you in private when we make the money),” Ignatova wrote to Greenwood in 2014.

She also proposed an exit strategy should the company fail, saying in a 2014 email to Greenwood that they should “take the money and run and blame somebody else for this.”

Prosecutors allege that’s exactly what she did. And in July 2018, nine months after Ignatova went missing, Greenwood was arrested at his home in Koh Samui, Thailand, and extradited to the US.

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He used the money to buy homes and a yacht

Ignatova and Greenwood started pitching OneCoin to investors in Europe, New York and other cities in 2014. They hosted online webinars and conferences where they urged potential investors to deposit funds in an account that would enable the purchase of OneCoin packages, according to a federal indictment.

OneCoin operated as a multilevel marketing network in which investors received commissions for recruiting others to buy cryptocurrency packages, federal prosecutors said. The packages catered to various income levels, from “starter” to “tycoon trader.” The partners promised buyers a fivefold or even tenfold return on their investment, according to court documents.

Prosecutors say Greenwood used the flood of cash from investors to buy luxury designer clothes, footwear, watches, a yacht and homes in various countries, including Spain, Dubai and Thailand.

He also used investor funds to travel the world in a private “OneCoin” jet, prosecutors say.

Greenwood pleaded guilty in December to wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to launder money. In addition to his prison term, he was ordered to forfeit about $300 million.

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“We hope this lengthy sentence resonates in the financial sector and deters anyone who may be tempted to lie to investors and exploit the cryptocurrency ecosystem through fraud,” Williams said.

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Crypto

Crypto Arbitrage: Make Money Without Delving into Stock Analysis

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Crypto Arbitrage: Make Money Without Delving into Stock Analysis

Trading on a crypto platform can bring you more than $1,000 of daily profit. You can double the deposit in less than a week. Moreover, in order to receive this income, it is not necessary to understand fundamental and technical analysis. Profit is available regardless of whether the rate of Bitcoin and other coins rises or falls. How is this possible, you ask? The answer is simple: crypto arbitrage.

What is cryptocurrency arbitrage

The easiest way to make money on digital assets is trading. Traders buy Bitcoin, Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies and wait for their price to rise. Is it possible to increase capital in this way? Yes. But with the same probability, you can lose everything. The rate of cryptocurrencies is changing rapidly. No analyst is able to accurately predict in which direction the chart will move.

As a result, beginners deposit money and spend time analyzing quotes, indicators, forecasts. And then the cryptocurrency chart rapidly moves in the opposite direction.

Therefore, there is a less risky way to make money on trading platforms: crypto arbitrage.

The price of tokens and coins varies on different platforms, sometimes up to tens of percent. For example, as of the end of 2023, 1 LTC on Binance.com costs $64.76. At the same time, on the Trustbity.com exchange, LTC can be sold for $70.20. The difference in the coin rate is almost 8.5%. This is exactly how much a trader can get from one arbitrage transaction.

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Classic scheme for making money on arbitrage:

The trader finds 2 exchanges where the price of crypto assets is different.

The coin or token is purchased on the platform with the lowest exchange rate.

The digital currency is transferred to the crypto exchange with the best quotes.

The asset is sold on the spot market at a more favorable price for the USDT stablecoin.

After this, USDT is transferred to the first exchange and exchanged back to the crypto asset, after which you can repeat the circle with a higher amount, this is how your profit grows.

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Expected benefits

The main advantage of crypto arbitrage: you do not need to make market analysis. It doesn’t matter if the price of coins rises or falls. You get profit from the difference in rates, and not from the dynamics of quotes.

You can estimate the approximate profit from each transaction. For example, if the exchange commission is 1%, the difference in rates is 3%, then each transaction brings you up to 2%.

Another advantage is the easy start of earning for beginners. You need approximately 1 day to work out a scheme for making a profit.

Step-by-step instruction:

To make money on crypto arbitrage, you need:

Create accounts on two or more exchanges such as Binance.com and Trustbity.com

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Deposit money into your personal account, you can purchase USDT through the P2P trading section by choosing a suitable payment method, for example, paying with a bank card

If you already have cryptocurrency on the exchange, you can exchange it for the LTC you need to operate through the spot market by finding and selecting a suitable currency pair.

Find an arbitrage opportunity, at the time of writing the current method of arbitration through the LTC coin, this means that you need to go to the exchanges and check the rates, if the rates are different and on one exchange the price is lower and on the other it is higher, then the method is current and works

Transfer an LTC asset from the first exchange to the second.

Sell LTC on a second exchange while the rate is favorable.

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The profit received can be withdrawn back to USDT and withdrawn back to the first exchange, after which the circle repeats.

Attachment. For the most comfortable and efficient work, you must pass KYC verification on the exchanges with which you work, you should also know about the withdrawal limits on the exchanges with which you work, usually after passing KYC verification, your limits increase significantly and you can work with a trading deposit at least $100,000

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Tether Readies To Mine Bitcoin ($BTC), Will Top-Performing Altcoins Like $ROE Benefit?

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Tether Readies To Mine Bitcoin ($BTC), Will Top-Performing Altcoins Like $ROE Benefit?

In today’s dynamic world of cryptocurrencies, identifying the best crypto investment opportunities for the long term is paramount. In this article, we delve into a captivating development that has caught the attention of crypto enthusiasts and investors alike. 

Tether, the issuer of the world’s largest stablecoin USDT, is making a bold move into Bitcoin mining in Latin America. This strategic shift not only positions Tether at the forefront of innovation but also raises intriguing questions about the potential benefits for top crypto coins, including the prospects for $ROE

Join us as we explore Tether’s groundbreaking plans and their potential implications on the cryptocurrency landscape.

>>BUY $ROE TOKENS NOW<<

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Tether’s Entrée into Bitcoin Mining

Four months have passed since Tether first announced its ambitious plans to enter the world of Bitcoin mining in Latin America. The moment of realization is now at hand, as Tether Energy prepares to deploy its initial mining rigs. 

Paulo Ardoino, Tether’s Chief Technology Officer, has confirmed that Tether Energy is currently in the process of setting up its mining operations at an undisclosed location within Latin America.

In a noteworthy tweet on August 26, Ardoino addressed and dismissed speculations and rumors that had been circulating regarding the progress of the mining project. He assured the crypto community that the project was advancing smoothly, with the entire team working tirelessly to commence operations in the coming weeks. 

Ardoino, however, wisely refrained from disclosing the exact location of the mining farm to avoid unwarranted attention.

Despite this foray the precise timeline for Tether Energy’s integration with the Bitcoin network remains uncertain. Nonetheless, what remains clear is Tether’s unwavering dedication to its objectives, despite the increasing scrutiny from certain factions seeking to undermine the project. 

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Tether’s decision to initiate a Bitcoin mining farm aligns with a strategic vision aimed at further decentralizing the network and promoting sustainable worldwide distribution of mining operations. This decision resonates with Bitcoin’s status as the world’s largest blockchain network employing the proof-of-work consensus algorithm.

Potential Impact on Top Crypto Coins and $ROE

Now, let’s turn our attention to the top crypto coins that many investors seek as the best crypto to buy today for long-term gains. Amidst these coins, one that deserves special attention is $ROE, the native token of Borroe.Finance. The Borroe.Finance presale has been generating significant buzz within the crypto community, and for good reason.

At present, the presale has achieved remarkable success, with over 58.13% of the total supply already sold, amounting to an impressive 95,909,451 $ROE tokens. What makes this presale even more enticing is its pricing at the second stage, offering each token at a compelling price of $0.015. Investors looking for a good crypto to buy can turn to Borroe.Finance.

Tether’s entry into Bitcoin mining could have far-reaching implications for both established top crypto coins and promising projects like $ROE. As Tether contributes to bolstering the security and decentralization of the Bitcoin network, it could engender greater investor confidence in the broader cryptocurrency market. 

With Bitcoin’s enhanced stability and appeal, investors may diversify their portfolios by considering the best crypto investments for long-term growth, including top-performing altcoins like $ROE.

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>>BUY $ROE TOKENS NOW<<

Don’t Miss Out on Borroe.Finance Presale

The Borroe.Finance ($ROE) presale has been turning heads in the crypto community, and for good reason. It has already achieved a remarkable milestone, with over 58.13% of the total supply already sold, totaling an impressive 95,909,451 $ROE tokens. What makes this opportunity even more enticing is the second-stage presale price of just $0.015 per token. 

For investors seeking the best crypto to buy today for long term gains, this presents a compelling option that should not be overlooked. As the crypto market evolves in response to developments like Tether’s foray into Bitcoin mining, diversifying into promising altcoins like $ROE could prove to be a strategic move that pays dividends in the future. 

So, seize the opportunity and consider participating in the Borroe.Finance presale before it’s too late!

Learn more about Borroe.Finance ($ROE) here:

Visit Borroe.Finance Presale | Join The Telegram Group | Follow Borroe on Twitter 

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Paradigm accuses SEC of bypassing rules in Binance lawsuit

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Paradigm accuses SEC of bypassing rules in Binance lawsuit

Venture capital firm Paradigm has criticized the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for bypassing the standard rulemaking procedures in its current legal action against the cryptocurrency exchange Binance.

In a statement released on Friday, Sept. 29, Paradigm stated the SEC is attempting to use the allegations in its complaint to alter the law without adhering to the established rulemaking process. Paradigm firmly believes that the SEC is exceeding its regulatory boundaries and further stated that it strongly opposes this tactic.

In June, the SEC initiated legal action against Binance, accusing it of multiple violations of securities laws, such as operating without the necessary registration as an exchange, broker-dealer or clearing agency. Paradigm also underscored that the SEC has been pursuing similar cases against various cryptocurrency exchanges lately and voiced apprehension that the SEC’s stance “could fundamentally reshape our comprehension of securities law in several critical aspects.“

Screenshot of Paradigm’s amicus brief  Source: Paradigm

Additionally, Paradigm highlighted concerns regarding the shortcomings of the SEC’s application of the Howey test. The SEC often relies on the Howey test — originating from a 1946 U.S. Supreme Court case involving citrus groves — to determine whether transactions meet the criteria for investment contracts and fall under securities regulations.

In its amicus brief, Paradigm asserted that many assets are actively marketed, purchased and traded based on their profit prospects. Nevertheless, the SEC has consistently exempted them from being classified as securities. The brief further pointed out instances such as gold, silver and fine art, underscoring that merely having the potential for value appreciation does not inherently classify their sale as a security transaction.

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Related: Binance Russia buyer tightlipped on owners, denies CZ involvement

USD Coin (USDC) issuer Circle has recently become a participant in the ongoing legal dispute between Binance and the SEC. Circle believes the SEC should not categorize stablecoins as securities.

Circle argues that these assets should not be categorized as securities because individuals acquiring stablecoins do not do so to derive profits.

Magazine: Crypto regulation: Does SEC Chair Gary Gensler have the final say?