SEC Takes Down Unicoin: $100M Fraud, Lies, and Misleading Investors 😂

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  • SEC charges Unicoin for misleading investors and falsely claiming $3 billion in sales. 🤦‍♂️
  • Over 5,000 investors were misled through aggressive, high-profile marketing campaigns. 📢

For years, the former SEC Chair aggressively pursued lawsuits against crypto firms and exchanges. Like, what was he, a crypto vigilante? 🦸‍♂️

Now, with Paul Atkins taking over, the regulatory approach appears to be changing. Finally, some sanity. 🙏

The SEC resolved major legal battles involving Coinbase, ConsenSys, MetaMask, and even Ripple [XRP], which finally concluded its four-year courtroom saga. 🏆

Despite reduced tensions, the SEC remains vigilant in its regulatory oversight. Because, you know, they can’t just let everyone run wild. 🐴

In a fresh crackdown, the SEC charged Unicoin and three top executives with misleading investors and raising over $100 million through deceptive claims. Like, did they think no one would notice? 🤔

This shows that while the regulatory climate may be shifting, intense scrutiny remains. Because, you know, the SEC has a job to do. 🕵️‍♂️

In a recent complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, the SEC targeted Unicoin’s leadership. Because, you know, they had to draw the line somewhere. 📜

The agency alleged that CEO Alex Konanykhin, board member Silvina Moschini, and former Chief Investment Officer Alex Dominguez promoted “rights certificates” linked to Unicoin tokens using false or misleading claims. Like, did they think they were selling magic beans? 🌱

Additionally, the regulator also accused the company’s general counsel, Richard Devlin, of issuing inaccurate statements in private placement memoranda. And he thought he could get away with it? 🤦‍♂️

Although Devlin did not admit to any wrongdoing, he agreed to pay a $37,500 fine and accept a permanent injunction. Because, you know, that’s the price you pay for being a little too creative. 💸

Remarking on the same, Mark Cave, Associate Director in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, said in a statement,

“We allege that Unicoin and its executives exploited thousands of investors with fictitious promises that its tokens, when issued, would be backed by real-world assets including an international portfolio of valuable real estate holdings.”

He added,

“But as we allege, the real estate assets were worth a mere fraction of what the company claimed.”

The SEC’s complaint highlights how Unicoin misled thousands of investors through deceptive marketing tactics. Because, you know, who doesn’t love a good lie? 🤣

Despite claiming to have raised over $3 billion through rights certificate sales, the actual figure was closer to $110 million. Additionally, Unicoin falsely stated that its offerings were registered with the SEC, boosting investor confidence. Because, you know, honesty is overrated. 🙄

The company promoted these false claims through high-visibility ads in airports, taxis, TV, and social media, attracting over 5,000 investors. Ultimately, these actions led the SEC to take enforcement measures against Unicoin. Because, you know, someone had to put a stop to it. 🛑

This isn’t the first time Unicoin has faced scrutiny from the SEC. Last year, journalist Eleanor Terrett revealed that Unicoin received a Wells notice in December. Like, they should have seen it coming. 🤦‍♂️

Later, in April, the SEC summoned the company for settlement discussions, signaling growing regulatory pressure before formal charges were filed. Because, you know, the SEC doesn’t play games. 🎲

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2025-05-21 11:23