This week, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed a criminal
complaint alleging money laundering and fraud against Swedish
citizen Roger Nils-Jonas Karlsson and his company. According to the
complaint, Karlsson used websites to trick potential investors into
sending him cryptocurrency payments that ultimately totaled about
$11 million. The individuals thought they were purchasing shares in
investment companies, but in reality, the cryptocurrency funds were
converted to fiat, transferred to Karlsson's bank account and
later used to buy real estate in Thailand. Karlsson was arrested on
June 18 in Thailand; the U.S. is seeking his extradition.
Also this week, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
filed an action in New York against a purported bitcoin company and
its principal, Benjamin Reynolds, from the United Kingdom.
Defendants purportedly used a website and social media sites to
induce customers to purchase bitcoin and then transfer it to the
defendants,