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Jailed Mastermind of South African Bitcoin Scam Reportedly Getting Preferential Treatment in Brazilian Prison
12.12.2023
Johann Steynberg, the imprisoned CEO of Mirror Trading International, a South African Bitcoin scam entity, is allegedly receiving preferential treatment in a Brazilian prison. The General Directorate of Penitentiary Administration (DGAP) has confirmed receiving a complaint about Steynberg’s access...
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...
CFTC fines Mirror Trading $1.7B for Bitcoin-related forex fraud
8.9.2023
The CFTC has brought or resolved ten fraud cases involving digital assets or forex since June 2023, Commissioner Kristin Johnson said
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...
South African Mirror Trading's CEO Fined $3.4B by U.S. in Bitcoin Forex Fraud Case
28.4.2023
The founder of bitcoin pool operator MTI was charged with fraud last year for running an unlicensed commodity pool scheme
CTFC wins record $3.4B penalty payment in Bitcoin-related fraud case
28.4.2023
The CFTC said it's the largest fraudulent Bitcoin scheme charged in any of its cases and the "highest civil monetary penalty ordered in a CFTC case."
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...
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...
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...
FBI joins Mirror Trading probe in Africa to help recover US investor funds
4.8.2021
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is joining the investigation into one of the largest alleged crypto scams of 2020