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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...
Mirror Trading International Liquidators Spent More Than $6 million on Lawyers and Investigators
27.2.2023
Liquidators of the now defunct bitcoin trading platform, Mirror Trading International have so far used approximately $4.2 million on expenses such as lawyers’ or consultants’ fees. Between Jan. 23, 2023, and the date of their appointment, liquidators claimed to have recovered...
Report: Judge in MTI Liquidation Case Issues Order Designating Bitcoin an Intangible Asset
8.9.2022
A judge in the collapsed online bitcoin trading platform Mirror Trading International’s liquidation case has issued a provisional liquidation order that outlines the criteria to be used when reimbursing investors. The order also reportedly directs the liquidators to regard bitcoin “as...
Tax Collector Wants $55 Million From Collapsed Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme MTI — Liquidators Accused of Failing Their Duty
24.7.2022
In a fresh twist to the collapsed bitcoin Ponzi scheme Mirror Trading International (MTI) saga, revenue collector South African Revenue Services (SARS) has demanded $55.3 million from the scheme’s liquidators. The revenue collector added that it wants the tax bill settled before the...
US Regulator Charges South African MTI and Its Operator With $1.7 Billion Fraud Involving Bitcoin
2.7.2022
The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has charged Mirror Trading International (MTI) and its operator with a $1.7 billion fraud involving bitcoin. This action is the regulator’s largest fraud scheme case involving the cryptocurrency. CFTC Takes Action Against MTI The CFTC...
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 Liquidators Reject Claim Peddled by Opponents, Insist the Entity ‘Was a Massive Fraudulent Scam’
15.2.2022
Liquidators of Mirror Trading International (MTI) have attacked the claim that declaring the collapsed bitcoin investment platform an unlawful scheme would jeopardize investors’ chances of recovering their funds. The Unsubstantiated Claim South African liquidators of Mirror Trading...
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...
Crypto Complaints Have Increased Significantly Says South Africa Financial Sector Ombud
21.12.2021
Nonkumbulo Tshombe, an advocate with the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services (FAIS) Ombud, recently revealed that her office has noted a significant increase in the number of cryptocurrency-related complaints during the 2020/21 financial year. Cryptocurrency Not yet Regulated An advocate...
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...
FBI Joins Probe Into Collapsed South African Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme
5.8.2021
In what is seen as a boost for Mirror Trading International (MTI) investors, United States investigators are said to have joined the probe into the collapsed bitcoin scheme. According to a report, the U.S. investigators’ goal for joining this probe is to help “recover the assets...
Two Masterminds in Last Ditch Effort to Stall Liquidation of MTI
4.8.2021
In a last-ditch attempt to stall the sale of Mirror Trading International (MTI) assets, two masterminds of the collapsed bitcoin Ponzi scheme have warned investors that liquidating the investment company will likely result in them being asked to return all withdrawn bitcoins. Opposition to Attempts...
MTI Investors Urged to Ignore Fake Bitcoin Recovery Offers
21.7.2021
Beleaguered Mirror Trading International (MTI) investors have been told to ignore unsolicited offers from individuals claiming to have the ability to trace and recover their missing bitcoins. This warning from the court-appointed liquidators was made after reports emerged that several MTI investors...
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...
8,000 BTC Belonging to Mirror Trading International Traced, Investors Urged to Lodge Claims
5.7.2021
A total of 8,000 bitcoins belonging to Mirror Trading International (MTI) have been traced while an additional 29,000 bitcoins could soon meet a similar fate. The traced coins, which are valued at over $280 million (4 billion rand), represent a potential breakthrough for beleaguered MTI investors....