🚨 CRYPTO: DOJ CHARGES 10 CRYPTO MARKET MAKER EXECUTIVES IN FBI WASH TRADING STING, THREE EXTRADITED FROM SINGAPORE
The US Department of Justice has charged 10 foreign nationals from four crypto market-making firms, Gotbit, Vortex, Antier, and Contrarian, with orchestrating pump-and-dump schemes through wash trading. Three defendants, including two CEOs, were arrested in Singapore and extradited to appear in federal court in Oakland.
The charges stem from Operation Token Mirrors, an FBI and IRS undercover operation in which federal agents created their own cryptocurrency tokens to expose market manipulation services. The firms allegedly acted as both buyer and seller to fake trading volume, inflate prices, then dump on unsuspecting investors.
Vortex CEO Gleb Gora (24, Russian national), Contrarian CEO Manu Singh, and associate Vasu Sharma were extradited from Singapore. Two Gotbit employees previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced. Defendants face up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 fines per charge. Over $1 million in crypto has been seized.