Ponzi scheme

SEC Enforcement Director Gurbir Grewal (right) (Nikhilesh De/CoinDesk)
A $300M Ponzi Scheme That Targeted Latinos Falsely Claimed to Buy Crypto, SEC Says
The SEC charged 17 individuals tied to the scheme that allegedly scammed more than 40,000 victims.
SEC Enforcement Director Gurbir Grewal (right) (Nikhilesh De/CoinDesk)

U.S. authorities have accused HyperVerse backers of running a Ponzi scheme, using "deceptive" slides such as this. (Provided in federal court documents)
HyperVerse's Alleged Ponzi Scheme Raked in Nearly $2B, Hired Actor as Fake CEO
The SEC and a grand jury have accused two people behind the alleged fraud.
U.S. authorities have accused HyperVerse backers of running a Ponzi scheme, using "deceptive" slides such as this. (Provided in federal court documents)

Blast founder Tieshun "Pacman" Roquerre is suddenly fending off the critics. (Creative Commons, modified by CoinDesk)
Blast's One-Week, $600M Haul Shows Promise of Yield, Pitfalls of Hype
The idea of a yield-paying layer-2 blockchain atop Ethereum has clearly demonstrated market allure. But even the project's biggest investor has taken issue with the execution...
Blast founder Tieshun "Pacman" Roquerre is suddenly fending off the critics. (Creative Commons, modified by CoinDesk)

(DALL-E/CoinDesk)
Airbit Club Founders, Lawyer Plead Guilty to $100M Fraud Scheme
The scheme's founders and promoters promised victims their money would be invested in a lucrative mining operation, but instead spent funds on cars, jewelry and luxury homes.
(DALL-E/CoinDesk)

(Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)
CFTC Charges California Firm and CEO With Fraud, Misappropriation of Digital Assets
The commission alleges the defendants fraudulently solicited over $7 million worth of bitcoin and ether and misappropriated some of the funds in a Ponzi scheme.
(Jesse Hamilton/CoinDesk)

Brazilian flag flying over the downtown and waterfront of Salvador (Getty Images)
2 More Promoters of Forcount Crypto Ponzi Scheme Arrested, Charged With Fraud
One of the men charged, 64-year-old Spanish citizen Nestor Nunez, was allegedly an actor paid to present himself as the CEO of Forcount using the alias “Salvador Molina.”
Brazilian flag flying over the downtown and waterfront of Salvador (Getty Images)

(PM Images/GettyImages)
No, Advisors, Crypto Is Not a Ponzi Scheme
While the FTX debacle has many Ponzi-like characteristics, most cryptocurrencies don't resemble the infamous schemes.
(PM Images/GettyImages)

An indictment was unsealed against OneCoin co-conspirator Frank Schneider this week. (Sasun Bughdaryan/ Unsplash)
OneCoin Co-Conspirator Frank Schneider Faces Money-Laundering Charges
The charges were revealed in an indictment that was unveiled this week.
An indictment was unsealed against OneCoin co-conspirator Frank Schneider this week. (Sasun Bughdaryan/ Unsplash)

(Shutterstock)
Ohio Investment Manager Arrested for Allegedly Running a $10M Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme
The U.S. CFTC had previously taken legal action against the man.
(Shutterstock)

(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
SEC Charges Trade Coin Club Founding Members With Operating a $295 Million Ponzi Scheme
The multi-level marketing organization raised over 80,000 bitcoin from 100,000 investors.
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)