The former CEO of Voyager Digital Ltd., Stephen Ehrlich, is facing a lawsuit filed by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), putting the crypto industry back in the spotlight. The CFTC has accused Ehrlich of violating derivatives rules and misleading customers about the safety of their digital assets. The lawsuit was filed in a U.S. federal court in New York, marking a significant move in the CFTC’s efforts to enforce crypto regulations.
The CFTC alleges that Ehrlich violated derivatives rules during his tenure as CEO, which are meant to ensure transparency and fairness in trading. The suit also claims that Ehrlich and Voyager Digital falsely represented the platform as a “safe haven” for customers’ digital assets, potentially deceiving investors.
Prior to the lawsuit, Bloomberg News reported that CFTC investigators had already determined that Ehrlich had violated agency rules. The commissioners were then considering whether to take further enforcement actions against him.
Ehrlich has strongly denied any wrongdoing and highlighted his clean record throughout his career in regulated markets. He believes he is being unfairly targeted for the actions of individuals at other companies.
These allegations against Ehrlich come after Voyager Digital filed for bankruptcy in July of the previous year. The company suffered significant losses due to the market downturn and the collapse of the Terra Luna stablecoin. Before filing for bankruptcy, Voyager Digital stopped customer withdrawals, adding to the difficulties faced by its investors.
Voyager Digital had over $1 billion in estimated assets at the time and more than 100,000 creditors. Alameda Research, the hedge fund associated with the now-defunct FTX exchange, was named as the largest creditor after providing a $500 million credit line to the crypto lender.
In conclusion, Stephen Ehrlich, the former CEO of Voyager Digital, is being sued by the CFTC for allegedly violating derivatives rules and misleading customers. Ehrlich denies any wrongdoing and claims he is being used as a scapegoat. This lawsuit comes after Voyager Digital’s bankruptcy, which was caused by the market downturn and the collapse of the Terra Luna stablecoin.