SEC Alleges Big-Talking Florida Crypto Investor Defrauded Clients of $6.8M

Thomas J. Gity allegedly told his 18 investor's he'd never ended a trading day in the red.

AccessTimeIconSep 30, 2020 at 7:22 p.m. UTC
Updated Sep 14, 2021 at 10:02 a.m. UTC

A Florida crypto trader has been charged with duping $6.8 million from investors in his purported digital asset day trading shop.

  • The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission alleged in its Tuesday complaint that the defendant, Thomas J. Gity, defrauded investors from January 2018 through January 2019 as he claimed to never end a trading day in the red.
  • Gity allegedly lured in 18 investors with lofty promises of outsize returns and assertions that he had $100 million under management.
  • The SEC claims that Gity cooked his books to sell the lie.
  • Only $970,000 of investors' funds ever landed in Gity's trading account, the SEC alleged. About $1.8 million allegedly went to Gity's son. Prosecutors said Gity used the rest to perpetuate his Ponzi-like scheme.
  • Gity was charged with multiple violations of securities law in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on Tuesday.

The case is a reminder that investors in cryptocurrency should watch out for promises too good to be true. Crypto, just like all asset classes, has its share of charlatans preying on the aura of a little-understood but much-hyped investment vehicle.

DISCLOSURE

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups. As part of their compensation, certain CoinDesk employees, including editorial employees, may receive exposure to DCG equity in the form of stock appreciation rights, which vest over a multi-year period. CoinDesk journalists are not allowed to purchase stock outright in DCG.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk’s longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.