Crypto Lender Nexo Sues Former Director Over $7.9M Trading Loss: Report

Nexo was locked out of a BitMEX account connected to its former director, resulting in $7.9 million in losses.

AccessTimeIconAug 17, 2022 at 2:41 p.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 5:45 p.m. UTC

Crypto lender Nexo is taking legal action against its former director, Georgi Shulev, on claims that he failed to keep his side of a settlement agreement, according to Law360.

Nexo asked the U.K. High Court to order Georgi Shulev to transfer nine crypto assets to the company, including bitcoin and ether. That was supposed to be a condition of a settlement agreement under which Shulev would receive $1 million. The lender claims that it has been locked out of trading platform BitMEX during a time when the value in cryptocurrencies declined, resulting in losses of $7.9 million.

  • U.S. Judge Signs Off on $4.5B Terraform-Do Kwon Settlement; Gensler Speaks on Ether ETF Approval
    01:41
    U.S. Judge Signs Off on $4.5B Terraform-Do Kwon Settlement; Gensler Speaks on Ether ETF Approval
  • Why Bitcoin Is Not Keeping Pace With Nasdaq
    01:11
    Why Bitcoin Is Not Keeping Pace With Nasdaq
  • Mona Founder on Future of the Metaverse
    09:08
    Mona Founder on Future of the Metaverse
  • Fed Sees Just One Rate Cut This Year; CRV Slides as Curve’s Founder Faces Liquidation Risk
    01:49
    Fed Sees Just One Rate Cut This Year; CRV Slides as Curve’s Founder Faces Liquidation Risk
  • The cryptocurrency market endured a significant downturn between November and July, with bitcoin tumbling from $69,000 to $17,500 while ether plunged from $4,850 to $875.

    HDR Global, which is the parent company of BitMEX, asked the High Court to determine who owned the account after Shulev left as a director at Nexo in 2019. As a part of the agreement, Shulev and Nexo were supposed to inform HDR once Nexo gained control of the account; Nexo claims that Shulev is now refusing to do this.

    For his part, Shulev claims that Nexo breached an agreement to transfer the first of five installment payments to him and as a result he can't inform HDR that the dispute has been resolved.

    "Nexo is entitled to and claims damages for the breach," to be converted to U.S. dollars, according to Nexo's claim.

    In an email to CoinDesk, Nexo confirmed that it recouped 871.5 bitcoins from the BitMEX account on Aug. 17.

    Nexo has been attempting to capitalize on this year's market slump by by acquiring distressed companies such as rival crypto lenders Celsius Network and Vauld, both of which froze withdrawals due to market pressures over the past two months.

    UPDATE (Aug 18, 2022, 15:07 UTC): Adds that Nexo has received 871.5BTC payment and amends the story's subhead.


    Disclosure

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

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Oliver Knight

    Oliver Knight is a CoinDesk reporter based between London and Lisbon. He does not own any crypto.


    Read more about