Robert Dunlap
A lead operator of the Meta 1 Coin fraud, which falsely claimed gold/art backing and risk-free returns. Jailed for civil contempt during the SEC case, he was later convicted of mail fraud and sentenced in 2026 to 23 years in prison.
Also known as: Robert P. Dunlap
Bio
Robert P. Dunlap was a lead operator of the Meta 1 Coin Trust, marketing the coin as backed by billions in gold/art with guaranteed massive returns. The SEC said it was a vehicle to steal investor money. [1][2]
Legal outcome
A Texas federal court held Dunlap in civil contempt and ordered him incarcerated for defying its orders during the SEC case. He was later criminally convicted of mail fraud and, in 2026, sentenced to 23 years in prison. [1][2]
Bracketed numbers refer to the numbered sources listed below.
Linked scams & cases
Sources (2)
See also
Luke BelmarIndividualsCryptocurrency influencer Luke Belmar (@lukebelmar on X) became the subject of controversy following allegations related to the promotion of a memecoin. Critics on social media alleged that Belmar used a series of posts referencing a forthcoming cryptocurrency project and a large-scale airdrop to generate interest in a token without explicitly identifying a specific contract address. Belmar published multiple posts discussing an upcoming memecoin, describing plans for what he characterized as a major airdrop and making comparisons to other cryptocurrency projects. Because no contract address was publicly provided, several tokens emerged claiming association with his statements. Critics alleged that this ambiguity enabled speculation around multiple tokens while avoiding a direct endorsement of any particular asset.
HEX / PulseChain (Richard Heart)ProjectsCrypto projects (HEX, PulseChain, PulseX) created by Richard Heart (Richard Schueler). In July 2023 the U.S. SEC sued him for offering unregistered securities that raised $1B+ and for allegedly misappropriating ~$12M for luxury goods (including a 555-carat diamond). A court dismissed the case in 2024 for lack of U.S. jurisdiction; there was no finding of wrongdoing and Heart denies the allegations.
This page was last updated on Jun 15, 2026. View revision history.
