BitMEX pleads guilty over bank secrecy violation

Source Fxstreet
  • BitMEX pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act on Wednesday. 
  • BitMEX had been operating in the US without establishing adequate anti-money laundering programs.
  • Founders may face up to five years imprisonment following the guilty plea.

BitMEX pleaded guilty to violating the Bank Secrecy Act on Wednesday after failing to implement anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) programs on its platform.

BitMEX co-founders could face jail time after pleading guilty to charges

Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, disclosed on Wednesday that crypto exchange BitMEX pleaded guilty to flouting the Bank Secrecy Act.

The exchange refused to implement robust AML protection and KYC verification processes on its platform. This made it vulnerable to "large-scale money laundering and sanctions evasion schemes, posing a serious threat to the integrity of the financial system."

The report states that BitMEX co-founders Arthur Hayes, Benjamin Delo, and Samuel Reed willfully failed to comply with the law, knowing that anti-money laundering programs are a requirement for crypto companies.

"The company and its executives knew that because BITMEX operated in the United States, including by serving US customers, it was required to implement an AML program that included a "know your customer" ("KYC") component but chose to flout those requirements, requiring only that customers provide an email address to use BITMEX's services," the report stated.

The company also allegedly lied to a bank regarding the purpose of a subsidiary. This enabled it to move millions of dollars through the US financial system.

BitMEX's clash with US courts dates back to 2020 when the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) charged the exchange with violating regulations regarding AML. The case resulted in BitMEX paying a fine of $100 million. 

The US Attorney's Office's Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit will handle the prosecution, and the company's co-founders may face a five-year prison sentence.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
October hike odds climb toward 60% as Goldman and BofA both flip — what Warsh's "dose of accommodation" really changedRate futures now price roughly 55% to 62% for a 25bp hike at the October 27-28 FOMC, up from about 30% before Chair Warsh's post-meeting framing that the Fed is merely "removing some accommodation." Goldman Sachs has added an October hike to its forecast and Bank of America now sees moves in both October and December. Here is the repricing, the language behind it, and the two data points that decide it.
Author  Irene Q.
Sep 23, Wed
Rate futures now price roughly 55% to 62% for a 25bp hike at the October 27-28 FOMC, up from about 30% before Chair Warsh's post-meeting framing that the Fed is merely "removing some accommodation." Goldman Sachs has added an October hike to its forecast and Bank of America now sees moves in both October and December. Here is the repricing, the language behind it, and the two data points that decide it.
placeholder
【Daily Brief】30-year Treasury tops 5.59%, S&P 500 slips to 7,670 and gold holds $4,180 — PCE lands tonightThe 30-year Treasury yield closed at 5.59%, its highest since June 2002, and the Dow fell 131.59 points to 51,349.92. US consumer confidence dropped to 81.9, a 12-year low, and JOLTS job openings fell to 7.1 million. August PCE and Q3 GDP both land at 8:30am ET tonight.
Author  Suzie
Sep 30, Wed
The 30-year Treasury yield closed at 5.59%, its highest since June 2002, and the Dow fell 131.59 points to 51,349.92. US consumer confidence dropped to 81.9, a 12-year low, and JOLTS job openings fell to 7.1 million. August PCE and Q3 GDP both land at 8:30am ET tonight.
placeholder
Gold falls to near $4,150 as higher Treasury yields, oil prices outweigh softer PCE inflationGold price (XAU/USD) tumbles to near $4,150 during the early Asian session on Thursday, pressured by elevated US Treasury bond yields. Traders await the US September employment data for fresh impetus, which will be released later on Friday. 
Author  FXStreet
Oct 01, Thu
Gold price (XAU/USD) tumbles to near $4,150 during the early Asian session on Thursday, pressured by elevated US Treasury bond yields. Traders await the US September employment data for fresh impetus, which will be released later on Friday. 
placeholder
United States Dollar Index sits near March 2025 highs, above 102.00 ahead of US NFPThe US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback against a basket of currencies, attracts buyers for the fifth straight day and climbs back above the 102.00 mark during the Asian session on Friday.
Author  FXStreet
22 hours ago
The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback against a basket of currencies, attracts buyers for the fifth straight day and climbs back above the 102.00 mark during the Asian session on Friday.
placeholder
Silver price forecast: XAG/USD rises to near $61.40 as US yields retreat, NFP eyedSilver price (XAG/USD) is up 0.55% to near $61.38 during the late Asian trading session on Friday. The white metal edges up as rally in United States (US) Treasury Yields has hit a pause.
Author  FXStreet
18 hours ago
Silver price (XAG/USD) is up 0.55% to near $61.38 during the late Asian trading session on Friday. The white metal edges up as rally in United States (US) Treasury Yields has hit a pause.
goTop
quote