The California Central District Court sentenced the co -founder of Axis Digital Shengsheng HE to 51 months of imprisonment in a federal prison for participating in a laundering of $ 36.9 million obtained as a result of fraud with cryptocurrencies.

The court also ordered a 39-year-old man to pay $ 26.8 million as compensation for damage to the victims. According to the US Department of Justice, HE was a co -owner of the Axis Digital Limited company, registered in Bagams, which was used to receive and transfer investor funds. The organizers of the scheme themselves worked from Cambodia. HE was part of the international criminal network-scammers contacted the US residents through social networks, through telephone calls, text messages, and even through online dating services to enter into confidence in people.

Fraudsters invited potential investors to invest in digital assets and make a deposit to the platform they controlled. The attackers convinced the victims that their investments were increasing, although in fact they appropriated clients. The organizers of the scheme transferred more than $ 36.9 million attracted from investors from the accounts of American banks to the Deltec Bagam Bank, opened for Axis Digital. Then the funds of investors were adjusted to Tether (USDT) stablecoas and transferred to a crypto -coolant controlled by attackers in Cambodia. From there, funds were distributed among fraudulent centers throughout Cambodia.

“The accused was part of a criminal group that deceived American investors, promising them high profitability from investment in digital assets. Although in fact, the accused stole almost $ 37 million, using Cambodian fraudulent centers. Unfortunately, the number of such centers offering investments in digital assets has grown sharply, ”said the acting assistant to the Prosecutor General Matthew Galeotti.

A few months ago, HE found himself guilty of conspiracy to conduct an unlicensed business transfer business. Eight of his accomplices have found themselves guilty of fraud and laundering money through cryptocurrencies. Among them-Lee Daren Li, having dual citizenship in China, as well as in St. Kits and Nevis. Since April 2024, he has been in custody in the United States.