Thomas Daniels
Three Nigerians, Stanley Chidubem Asiegbu, Chukwuebuka Martin Nweke-Eze, and Chibuzo Augustine Onyeachonam, have been officially accused by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) with masterminding a $2.9 million Bitcoin scam. At least 28 people were the target of the scam, which used a network of phony websites, social media accounts, and voice-altering software to pose as trustworthy financial experts.
Allegedly, the defendants pretended to be consultants and brokers connected to well-known American financial institutions. To gain the faith of potential investors, they used social media platforms and group conversations, as well as enticing websites with fake client testimonials.
Before moving the cryptocurrency to their blockchain wallets, the scammers told their victims to buy Bitcoin from reputable exchanges. The criminals created phony investing platforms that showed inflated portfolio growth in order to maintain the illusion that victims’ investments were making significant gains.
The defendants have been charged by the SEC with breaking U.S. securities laws in a federal court in New Jersey. The regulatory agency wants to impose severe financial penalties and demands that the stolen monies be returned, along with interest.
To further highlight the seriousness of the accusations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey has filed criminal charges against the defendant.
