FBI Conducts Raid on Crypto Firm for Unauthorized Trading in US

As per a news agency, Wood-TV, FBI raided the premise of a technological center based out of Michigan last month during an investigation related to crypto-trading.

Wood-TV confirmed that officers of FBI or Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security conducted a sudden raid and took away computer systems and other equipment from the office.

The Geek Group’s founder Chris Boden made a statement on the same day, in one of the most prominent social media platforms, claiming that FBI officials reportedly raided the head office of his science and technology firm which is also a non-profit organization. Later, Wood-TV confirmed that Boden had been trading commercially in cryptocurrency without the required authorization from the officials. As per the news, the penalties for unofficial trading can go up to a fine of $100,000 along with going behind bars for the founder. Since then, Boden had been silent and refused to comment until his legal counsel steps up on his behalf.

Similarly, last month, Romania’s largest crypto firm Coinflux’s CEO was arrested on a special warrant issued by FBI for money laundering, fraud, and organized crime. Vlad Nistor who is also the founder of CoinFlux, operating mostly into digital currency exchange service from Cluj-Napoca, was arrested at the request of US prosecutors. US prosecutors are pursuing extradition. The 29-year-old businessman was apprehended by Romanian policemen and prosecutors earlier this week at his home and office in the city of Cluj. The arrest was conducted in the presence of four U.S. law enforcement agents, local media reported.

Coinflux is one of the largest digital asset trading platforms in Romania. Its website claims that the platform has, so far, exchanged over €201 million worth of cryptocurrencies in more than 203,000 transactions for over 19,000 traders. According to the publications, Nistor is now awaiting a decision by the Bucharest Court of Appeal regarding his extradition to the United States. In its request, the U.S. Justice Department has accused him of running a fraud scheme along with committing computer fraud.

In August, last year, police officials of South Korea conducted a raid on the premise of a local crypto firm, making fake promises to the investors.