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Alex Mashinsky
Founder and CEO of the crypto lending platform Celsius Network. Pleaded guilty to commodities and securities fraud and was sentenced in May 2025 to 12 years in prison.
Bio
Alex Mashinsky founded and led the cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network. Prosecutors said he misrepresented the safety of customer deposits and manipulated the price of the platform's CEL token while personally profiting. [1]
Legal outcome
He pleaded guilty to commodities fraud and securities fraud in December 2024 and was sentenced in May 2025 to 12 years in prison, agreeing to forfeit more than $48 million. [1]
Bracketed numbers refer to the numbered sources listed below.
Linked scams & cases
Sources (1)
See also
- Donald BasileIndividualsFounder behind Bitcoin Latinum (LTNM). The SEC charged him in 2026 with defrauding investors of ~$16M by falsely claiming the token was insured and asset-backed, and misappropriating funds for personal use (including a $160,000 horse).
- Kristoffer KrohnIndividualsA promoter (and SEC recidivist) who sold Green United's 'Green Boxes,' allegedly acting as an unregistered broker and misrepresenting GREEN's value and returns. Charged by the SEC for fraud and registration violations.
- John WiseIndividualsFounder and CEO of Loci, which ran the LOCIcoin ICO. The SEC charged him with fraud for false claims about Loci's revenue, staff, and user base (raising $7.6M) and for misusing $38K of investor funds; he settled with an officer/director bar.
This page was last updated on Jun 8, 2026. View revision history.