Ire from multiple regulators
After being arrested in July on charges of defrauding customers and misleading them about the profitability of his crypto lending company, Celsius, Alex Mashinsky has pleaded not guilty. While Celsius filed for bankruptcy last year and still owes billions to investors, it has also faced legal action from other regulators. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sued Celsius and Mashinsky for allegedly conducting fraudulent and unregistered sales of “crypto asset securities,” providing false information about the company’s financial status, and manipulating the price of its native token, CEL. Additionally, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has also filed fraud charges against Mashinsky and Celsius.