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US Court Orders Collapsed BTC Investment Firm to Pay Over $1.7 Billion in Restitution for Forex Fraud
9.9.2023
A United States Federal Court Judge has ordered the collapsed bitcoin investment platform Mirror Trading International to pay over $1.7 billion in restitution. Commodity Futures Trading Commission director of enforcement Ian McGinley said the CFTC will not hesitate to go after fraudsters who target...
Report: Brazilian Court Fines Mastermind of South African Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme
16.8.2023
A court in Brazil has found Johann Steynberg, the mastermind of the bitcoin ponzi scheme Mirror Trading International (MTI), guilty in a case in which he is accused of using a forged identity document. The court, however, commuted Steynberg’s three-and-a-half-year sentence to a fine of just...
US Court Orders Operator of South African Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme to Pay Over $3.4 Billion
2.5.2023
Johann Steynberg, the founder and CEO of Mirror Trading International, has been ordered to pay over $1.73 billion in restitution to victims of his bitcoin ponzi scheme. The court has also ordered Steynberg to pay a civil monetary penalty of a similar amount. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission...
Brazilian Judge Dismisses Bitcoin Scam Mastermind’s Attempt to Block His Extradition to South Africa
9.6.2022
A Brazilian judge has ruled that the CEO of Mirror Trading International should remain in precautionary detention as authorities in South Africa have already furnished their Brazilian counterparts with the documentation that is required for extradition purposes. The judge also rejected Johann...
Masterminds Behind South African Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme Told to Pay Back Over $291 Million
12.5.2022
Masterminds of one of South Africa’s biggest bitcoin Ponzi schemes, Mirror Trading International (MTI), have been asked by the scheme’s liquidators to pay back over $291 million to cover the scam operation’s debts. Liquidators’ Influence Liquidators of the South African...
MTI Mastermind Arrest: Lawyer Points to Agreement Relating to Johann Steynberg’s Extradition to South Africa
16.1.2022
With Johann Steynberg now in custody in Brazil, a lawyer has suggested that South Africa may have to resort to an existing legal assistance agreement with Brazil if it wishes to have the CEO extradited. However, the success of any such extradition will depend on the next steps taken by authorities...
CEO of Mirror Trading International Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme Arrested in Brazil
8.1.2022
Johann Steynberg, the wanted CEO of Mirror Trading International was recently arrested by Brazilian law enforcement after he was caught using a fake document. The arrest, which took place in the country’s Goiás province, was carried out by the Brazilian military police. Fake...
Report: Mirror Trading International Said to Be Owed Over $129 Million by Previously Unaccounted for Debtors
7.12.2021
Mirror Trading International, the now-defunct fraudulent bitcoin investment platform, is said to be owed more than $129 million by debtors that had not been declared previously. Unaccounted for Debtors Liquidators of the collapsed South African bitcoin Ponzi scheme, Mirror Trading International...
Bid to Have MTI Ponzi Declared Unlawful Scheme Suffers Setback — More Investors Oppose Motion
11.9.2021
A slew of late court filings by lawyers representing Mirror Trading International (MTI) investors has forced a South African judge to postpone the hearing of the liquidators’ application to have the online bitcoin scam declared an illegal business. Concern Over Implications of Declaration...
South Africa Regulator Wants Mirror Trading International to Pay Millions as Penalty For Contravening Financial Sector Law
8.7.2021
A South African regulator, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), has informed key figures behind Mirror Trading International (MTI) that it intends to impose a fine of $7 million against the now-defunct crypto investment company. Contravention of Financial Sector Law According to a July...
South African Regulators Reportedly Fast-Tracking Crypto Regulatory Framework
1.7.2021
With South Africa receiving more than its fair share of cryptocurrency-related scams, a report suggests that regulators are responding to this challenge by fast-tracking the process of creating a new regulatory framework. As a result, regulators now expect this process, which was preceded “by...
Co-Owner of Mirror Trading International Opposes Plans to Liquidate the Bitcoin Scam Outfit
18.6.2021
In the latest twist to the Mirror Trading International liquidation saga, Clynton Marks, a co-owner of the bitcoin Ponzi outfit, has opposed attempts to have a court grant a final liquidation order. Marks, who reportedly owned 50% of MTI, argues that the liquidation application...
South African Court Submissions Expose Lies and Deceptive Tactics Used to Perpetuate MTI Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme
10.6.2021
New submissions by a South African regulator, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and liquidators have exposed the web of lies and deceptive tactics that were used by Mirror Trading International (MTI) CEO Johann Steynberg and others to perpetuate the Ponzi scheme. Undeclared Losses...
MTI CEO and Wife Issued With Provisional Sequestration Order by South African High Court
27.4.2021
A South African High Court recently served Mirror Trading International (MTI)’s Johann and Nerina Steynberg with a provisional sequestration order. The court’s decision follows a successful court application by the five joint provisional liquidators of the now-defunct online bitcoin...
Mirror Trading International Named Biggest Crypto Scam of the Year After Raking in $589 Million
14.2.2021
Blockchain analysis firm, Chainalysis’ latest crime report has named Mirror Trading International (MTI) as the biggest cryptocurrency scam of 2020. Chainalysis arrived at this conclusion after an investigation found that MTI had taken in $589 million from more than 471,000 deposits. According...
MTI Bitcoins Sent to Privacy Mixers as New Data Breach Exposes the Ponzi Scheme’s Top Earners
10.1.2021
In another twist to the Mirror Trading International (MTI) bitcoin Ponzi scam, the blockchain intelligence firm Whitestream says bitcoins from wallets associated with the company are being sent to Wasabi privacy mixers. According to Whitestream’s update, this pivot to mixers suggests that...
South African Court Grants Order to Liquidate Mirror Trading International After Investors Fail to Withdraw Their BTC
1.1.2021
A South African High Court recently granted a provisional liquidation order against Mirror Trading International (MTI) following an application for relief by two investors who failed to withdraw their bitcoin. According to a statement released by lawyers of one of the aggrieved investors, this...
CEO of MTI Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme Flees South Africa in Possible Exit Scam – Funds Blocked
24.12.2020
In an unexpected turn of events, the management team at Mirror Trading International (MTI) now suggest that their CEO Johann Steynberg may have exit scammed. The team alleges that Steynberg, now believed to be in Brazil, has locked out key management staff from accessing MTI’s account with...
South African Regulator’s Probe Into Mirror Trading International Unearths Previously Undeclared Losses and Missing Bitcoins
19.12.2020
South African financial regulator, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), has filed criminal charges with local law enforcement against Mirror Trading International (MTI), the alleged online bitcoin trading scam. The regulator says its decision to press charges follows an investigation into...
South African Bitcoin Investment Company Faces Fresh Scam Allegations
4.8.2020
FX Choice, a forex and crypto trading company, is making new allegations that South African bitcoin investment company, Mirror Trading International (MTI) is a multi-level marketing scam. The company says it uncovered this after researching into MTI, a firm that claims to have “118,027...