Serbian Man Faces 20 Years of Time for 20 Sham Trading Platforms

A Serbian
individual accused of orchestrating extensive cryptocurrency and binary options
fraud has been extradited to the United States, indicating a significant
advancement in the crackdown on global financial cybercrime. According to the
Department of Justice, he helped to create and market more than 20 fraudulent trading
platforms.

Kristijan
Krstic, 48, was apprehended in Georgia on US warrants and now confronts
charges in two federal indictments across Texas and New York. This development
underscores the collaborative international efforts in combating cybercrime and
highlights the increasing significance of cryptocurrency in financial fraud.

In Texas,
Krstic allegedly defrauded investors out of $70 million through deceptive
digital investment ventures. The grand jury indictment outlines a conspiracy
involving over a dozen individuals across various fraudulent platforms designed
to lure investors. Charges of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies
carry potential 20-year prison terms per count, reflecting the gravity of the
offenses.

“This
extradition is the result of continued coordination between the Justice
Department and our Georgian law enforcement partners in the fight against
transnational organized crime,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole
M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We are committed
to protecting the people of this nation by investigating and prosecuting
individuals involved in cryptocurrency fraud.”

Leader of $70M Cryptocurrency and Binary Options Fraud Schemes Extradited to the U.S.https://t.co/COslk2Rhs2

— Criminal Division (@DOJCrimDiv) November 3, 2023

A Web of Deception

The accused
played a central role in crafting over 20 sham investment platforms, exploiting
the allure of high returns on digital assets.

“According
to court documents, the defendants allegedly helped create and market more than
20 fraudulent cryptocurrency and binary options investment platforms,” the
Department of Justice commented. They included Start Options, Trinity Mining,
Hedger Tech, BTC Mining Factory and many more.

In the
Eastern District of New York, Krstic faces additional charges for operating two
bogus online investment platforms, Start Options and B2G, which siphoned
approximately $7 million from U.S. investors. The indictment depicts Krstic as
a mastermind who deftly manipulated the cryptocurrency market’s opacity to
defraud investors, leading to his indictment on securities fraud and additional
money laundering charges.

Two weeks
ago, the US court informed about other binary options fraud, including the former
Chief Investment Officer of London-based hedge fund Glen Point Capital, Neil
Phillips. The fund was launched with financial backing from Geroge Soros