An 11-count indictment was unsealed immediately in federal courtroom in Brooklyn charging Dwayne Golden, Gregory Aggesen, and Marquis Demacking Egerton, the house owners and operators of the web-based digital forex corporations EmpowerCoin, ECoinPlus and Jet-Coin, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and cash laundering, and associated substantive counts, in reference to a classy scheme to steal property from buyers. Golden, Aggesen and William White had been additionally charged with conspiracy to impede justice, obstructing justice and tampering with proof. The defendants had been arrested this morning and can be arraigned within the Jap District of New York at a later date.
Breon Peace, United States Lawyer for the Jap District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Cost, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Discipline Workplace (FBI) introduced the arrests and fees.
“As alleged, the defendants engaged in a classy scheme that preyed on unsuspecting buyers nationwide with false guarantees of assured returns and digital forex buying and selling alternatives. When the businesses collapsed and their legal conduct was about to be uncovered, the defendants tried to cowl their tracks and destroy proof,” said United States Lawyer Peace. “The scams might have been on-line and digital, however these fees are very actual. This Workplace is dedicated to defending the general public from criminals who view cryptocurrency as a brand new frontier to perpetrate quaint crimes of fraud and cash laundering.”
Mr. Peace additionally thanked the Commodity Futures Buying and selling Fee for his or her help on this matter.
“Whether or not we’re coping with digital forex or cold-hard money, schemers proceed to capitalize on buyers’ finest intentions and pocket their ill-gotten features,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Cost Driscoll. “As alleged, these charged immediately defrauded their victims and generated extra that $40 million for their very own profit. This workplace stays dedicated to rooting out fraud in all its kinds.”
In line with the indictment, between April 2017 and August 2017, Golden, Aggesen, and Egerton, along with others, operated a sequence of web-based digital forex corporations often called EmpowerCoin, ECoinPlus and Jet-Coin. The web sites for EmpowerCoin, ECoinPlus and Jet-Coin fraudulently promised buyers and potential buyers assured repair returns on digital forex investments. They falsely promised buyers and potential buyers that these returns had been made attainable by way of abroad digital forex buying and selling operations. Traders and potential buyers had been inspired to put money into the businesses with both money or Bitcoin. In actuality, the property had been used to repay different buyers or just stolen, together with by Golden, Aggesen and Egerton. Golden maintained unique entry to the Bitcoin and infrequently siphoned Bitcoin funds off the highest earlier than paying any buyers. The businesses collapsed shortly after receiving the buyers’ property, with out having engaged in buying and selling exercise. In whole, EmpowerCoin, ECoinPlus and Jet-Coin acquired greater than $40 million from buyers.
The indictment additional alleges that, from July 2017 to the current, Golden, Aggesen and White conspired to impede a Federal Commerce Fee (“FTC”) investigation and a federal legal grand jury investigation into the fraudulent schemes. Golden, Aggesen and White allegedly destroyed proof, and White, on Aggesen’s behalf, offered false and deceptive info to the FTC and in response to a federal grand jury subpoena.
The fees within the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed harmless except and till confirmed responsible. If convicted, the defendants resist 20 years in jail.
When you had been an EmpowerCoin.com, ECoinPlus.com and/or Jet-Coin.com buyer and wish to file a grievance, please go to www.iC3.gov. Please reference “EmpowerCoin,” “ECoinPlus” or “Jet-Coin” in your grievance.
The federal government’s case is being dealt with by the Workplace’s Enterprise and Securities Fraud Part. Assistant United States Attorneys Alixandra E. Smith, Catherine M. Mirabile and Nick M. Axelrod are accountable for the prosecution, with the help of Assistant United States Lawyer Claire Kedeshian of the Workplace’s Asset Restoration Part who’s dealing with forfeiture issues.
The Defendants:
DWAYNE GOLDEN
Age: 57
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
GREGORY AGGESEN
Age: 58
Stanfordville, New York
MARQUIS DEMACKING EGERTON (also called “Mardy Eger”)
Age: 58
Washington, North Carolina
WILLIAM WHITE
Age: 54
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 21-CR-88 (MKB)