USA seizes virtual currencies valued at $24 Million in major internet fraud investigation

The US Department of Justice has this week announced that it has seized virtual currency worth an estimated $24 million on behalf of the Brazilian government. 

The seizure order was obtained pursuant to an official request from the government of Brazil, made under the Treaty between the United States of America and the Federative Republic of Brazil on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, for assistance in connection with a large cryptocurrency fraud scheme in a Brazilian federal police investigation called “Operation Egypto.” 

Brazilian authorities estimate that more than $200 million was obtained through this scheme through which more than tens of thousands of Brazilians may have been defrauded.

Brazilian federal prosecutors have charged several individuals in the case.  The U.S. seizures were tied to Brazilian Marcos Antonio Fagundes’ alleged role in the scheme.  As the United States alleged based on information provided by Brazilian authorities, Fagundes is charged with several criminal violations of Brazilian law, including, among other offenses, the operation of a financial institution without legal authorization, fraudulent management of a financial institution, misappropriation, and money laundering, as well as securities law violations. 

The Brazilian court issued a seizure order directing the seizure of virtual currency in the United States owned or controlled by Fagundes.   

According to documents filed in the Brazilian criminal proceeding and the Brazilian court’s findings, during August 2017 to May 2019, Fagundes and other defendants solicited funds from prospective investors over the internet, sometimes in combination with telephone and other means, and held the funds received in a manner that subjected it to regulation as a financial institution under Brazilian law, with which Fagundes and the other defendants failed to comply. 

Solicitations referred to as innovative investment opportunities were made over the internet and in person, offering investments in cryptocurrencies.  As alleged, the defendants solicited investors to give money to corporations they controlled, in the form of Brazilian currency or cryptocurrency, which the companies would then invest in a variety of virtual currency types.  The Brazilian court found, however, that only a very small amount of funds were invested in cryptocurrencies as promised, and very little was returned to the investors.

To carry out the scheme, the conspirators are alleged to have made false and inconsistent promises to investors about the way the funds were invested and exaggerated the rates of return.