SEC Sues Cryptocurrency Company NovaTech and Its Cofounders, Saying They Defrauded Investors of $650 Million

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday sued the cryptocurrency company NovaTech and its married cofounders, saying they fraudulently raised more than $650 million from more than 200,000 investors worldwide, including many Haitian-Americans.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday filed a lawsuit against cryptocurrency company NovaTech and its married cofounders, alleging that they fraudulently raised more than $650 million from over 200,000 investors worldwide, many of whom were Haitian-Americans.

NovaTech and cofounders Cynthia and Eddy Petion promised investors that their money would be safe, with Cynthia Petion assuring them that they would be “in profit from day one,” according to the SEC.

However, the SEC alleges that the Petions primarily used new money to repay earlier investors and pay commissions to promoters, while also siphoning millions of dollars for themselves. The scheme is alleged to have lasted for four years and culminated in NovaTech's collapse in May 2023.

這起訴訟於週一在邁阿密聯邦法院提起，兩個月前紐約總檢察長 Letitia James 在曼哈頓州法院對 NovaTech 和 Petions 提起單獨訴訟，估計他們的欺詐金額超過 10 億美元。

兩家監管機構均表示，NovaTech 透過社交媒體、Telegram 和WhatsApp，有時甚至使用海地克里奧爾語來呼籲受害者的宗教信仰，辛西婭·佩蒂恩(Cynthia Petion) 自稱“首席執行官牧師” ，並將NovaTech 描述為「上帝的願景」。

NovaTech 和請願書的律師據報導居住在巴拿馬，目前無法立即確認身分。

兩家監管機構都將這種詐欺行為描述為傳銷計劃，即公司支付獎金或佣金來招募新投資者。

美國證券交易委員會還指控六名 NovaTech 發起人存在欺詐行為，指控他們不顧「危險信號」繼續招募投資者，包括延遲撤資以及美國和加拿大的監管行動，這引發了人們對 NovaTech 合法性的質疑。

一位發起人 Martin Zizi 同意支付 10 萬美元的民事罰款。他的律師沒有立即回應置評請求。

兩起訴訟都尋求受害者賠償和民事罰款。

此案是 SEC v. Nova Tech Ltd，美國佛羅裡達州南區地方法院，編號 24-23058。

—喬納森·斯坦普爾，路透

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