US government charges notable crypto companies, individuals for market manipulation and fraud

Source Fxstreet
  • The US government charged three crypto companies and 15 individuals for crimes of market manipulation of several cryptocurrencies.
  • Defendants include crypto companies Gotbit, ZM QUANT, CLS Global, MyTrade, and their employees and accomplices.
  • The FBI allegedly created their token named The NextFund AI token to get hold of the bad actors.

The US government took legal action against three crypto firms and 15 individuals on Wednesday for market manipulation and fraud, including artificially inflating cryptocurrency prices to make profits.

US government charges Gotbit, ZM Quant and CLS Global and founders for market manipulation

US prosecutors charged three cryptocurrency firms, including Gotbit, ZM QUANT, and CLS Global, along with 15 individuals in a landmark case for market manipulation and fraudulent trading in the crypto industry. The case, filed in a District Court in Boston, Massachusetts, has already gained widespread attention.

A few of the manipulated tokens involved include VZZN, The NextFund AI token, and the Saitama token. The filing indicates that the defendants advertised seemingly legitimate services on ZM QUANT while secretly offering illegal services to clients.

They also performed manipulative trades, increasing the trading price and volumes of these cryptocurrencies to attract investors' attention.

These firms also induced certain exchanges to lower trading fees while hiding their profits in multiple wallets.

The investigation uncovered several online conversations between the workers and accomplices on platforms like Telegram and WhatsApp. Private calls between the defendants were also investigated to reveal offers to manipulate the crypto market.

Prosecutors also revealed that Saitama, the largest company involved in various schemes, once had a market value of $7.5 billion due to leadership manipulating its token market and covertly selling it. 

Its CEO, Manpreet Kohli, was arrested in the UK on Monday, alongside five other current or former employees, three of whom have pleaded guilty.

Other individuals living abroad who were associated with cryptocurrency "market makers" who allegedly offered market manipulation services have also been charged.

Additionally, speculations suggest that the FBI was responsible for creating the Ethereum-based token NextFund AI in an attempt to track down the bad actors.

"The FBI took the unprecedented step of creating its very own cryptocurrency token and company to identify, disrupt, and bring these alleged fraudsters to justice," a post by dB on X stated.

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Finding The Best Japan Stocks to Buy? These are Top Japanese Companies to Watch Discover the best Japanese stocks to buy, including AI semiconductor leaders, Buffett-backed trading houses, and undervalued Japan stocks benefiting from corporate reforms and yen trends.
Author  Mitrade
May 29, Fri
Discover the best Japanese stocks to buy, including AI semiconductor leaders, Buffett-backed trading houses, and undervalued Japan stocks benefiting from corporate reforms and yen trends.
placeholder
US August CPI lands tonight: after a 5.4% PPI shock, will the Fed hike on September 16?US August PPI came in at 5.4% year-on-year, above the 5.3% consensus, with core PPI at 4.6%. Traders have pushed the odds of a 25bp Fed hike on September 15-16 to around 70%. Tonight's CPI is the last major inflation print before the decision — here is the full calendar, the consensus numbers, and what a hot versus cool reading would mean for the dollar, yields, gold and stocks.
Author  Irene Q.
Sep 11, Fri
US August PPI came in at 5.4% year-on-year, above the 5.3% consensus, with core PPI at 4.6%. Traders have pushed the odds of a 25bp Fed hike on September 15-16 to around 70%. Tonight's CPI is the last major inflation print before the decision — here is the full calendar, the consensus numbers, and what a hot versus cool reading would mean for the dollar, yields, gold and stocks.
placeholder
Brent tests $108 as a key export pipeline stays shut — can the rally clear $110?Brent crude rose 2.55% to $106.97 and WTI 2.32% to $102.30 as a major regional export pipeline remained offline with no restart timeline. Front-month backwardation has widened to $5.53 from $3.84 a week ago, European gas is at its highest since December 2022, and one analyst sees $119.48 if talks stall.
Author  Irene Q.
Yesterday 07: 16
Brent crude rose 2.55% to $106.97 and WTI 2.32% to $102.30 as a major regional export pipeline remained offline with no restart timeline. Front-month backwardation has widened to $5.53 from $3.84 a week ago, European gas is at its highest since December 2022, and one analyst sees $119.48 if talks stall.
placeholder
Fed hike odds near 90% into Wednesday's decision — how to trade the dollar, gold and the S&P 500A 0.3% monthly core CPI print has lifted the market-implied probability of a 25bp Fed hike on 16 September to roughly 86.5% ~ 90%, which would be the first increase since July 2023. Here is the decision timeline, the pricing versus the forecasts, both scenarios, and the key levels for the dollar, gold and the S&P 500.
Author  Suzie
Yesterday 07: 49
A 0.3% monthly core CPI print has lifted the market-implied probability of a 25bp Fed hike on 16 September to roughly 86.5% ~ 90%, which would be the first increase since July 2023. Here is the decision timeline, the pricing versus the forecasts, both scenarios, and the key levels for the dollar, gold and the S&P 500.
placeholder
Silver Price Forecast: XAG/USD falls to near $63.50 amid Fed hike bets, higher oil pricesSilver price (XAG/USD) loses its gains from the previous day, trading around $63.50 per troy ounce during Asian hours on Monday. Non-yielding Silver is currently facing significant headwinds driven by rising Federal Reserve (Fed) rate-hike expectations for the upcoming September decision.
Author  FXStreet
21 hours ago
Silver price (XAG/USD) loses its gains from the previous day, trading around $63.50 per troy ounce during Asian hours on Monday. Non-yielding Silver is currently facing significant headwinds driven by rising Federal Reserve (Fed) rate-hike expectations for the upcoming September decision.
goTop
quote