Johann Steynberg
Founder and CEO of Mirror Trading International (MTI). A U.S. court ordered him to pay over $1.7B in restitution for the largest Bitcoin fraud the CFTC has charged. He was detained in Brazil and reported to have died in 2024.
Also known as: Cornelius Johannes Steynberg
Bio
Johann (Cornelius Johannes) Steynberg founded and ran Mirror Trading International (MTI), which accepted only Bitcoin for a "commodity pool" it claimed a bot traded. The CFTC charged him and MTI in what it called the largest Bitcoin fraud in any CFTC case. [1][2]
Legal outcome
A U.S. court ordered Steynberg to pay over $1.7 billion in restitution and a matching civil penalty. He was detained in Brazil and reported to have died in 2024. [1][2]
Bracketed numbers refer to the numbered sources listed below.
Linked scams & cases
Sources (2)
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.