The collapse of Celsius : The workings of a fraud revealed, the former CEO arrested

Discover the gripping story of the downfall of Celsius Network, a crypto lending platform, and how its founder, Alex Mashinsky, was arrested for orchestrating a massive fraud.

Exactly one year ago today, Celsius Network was at the height of its success, managing nearly $25 billion in customer assets. But what seemed like the safest place to store its crypto quickly turned into a financial nightmare. The company filed for bankruptcy, plunging its investors into considerable losses. U.S. authorities worked tirelessly to uncover the reasons behind the collapse and reveal the true story behind this unprecedented fraud.

Today, a disturbing truth has finally come to light. Alex Mashinsky, the founder and former CEO of Celsius, has been arrested by US authorities following an investigation into his alleged involvement in a massive fraud. Accompanied by Celsius Chief Revenue Officer Roni Cohen-Pavon, Mashinsky allegedly orchestrated a cunning scheme to defraud the platform’s customers. The charges relate to a series of misrepresentations concerning Celsius’ security and reliability, as well as manipulations to artificially increase the price of the CEL token, the company’s own currency.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams revealed these troubling details in a public statement. With this case, he is sending a clear message : fraud, whether orchestrated in the traditional or crypto-world, will not go unpunished. No matter how sophisticated the fraud, criminals will be hunted down and held accountable for their actions.

Celsius, a colossal $4.7 billion fine!

This arrest only tightens the noose around Alex Mashinsky. Since January 2023, he had already been facing prosecution by New York Attorney General Letitia James for similar acts of fraud. In addition, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the US regulatory body, has also filed a complaint against Celsius and its former CEO for securities fraud. The former CEO could now face a heavy prison sentence if the charges against him prove to be true.

It’s important to remember that this fraud saga began with Alex Mashinsky’s resignation in September 2022. He left all his positions at Celsius Network Ltd, with the exception of his role as director. Shortly after his departure, the crypto lending platform announced its bankruptcy, leaving behind billions of dollars in debt and desperate customers whose funds had been tied up for months.

Finally, to add a further layer of legal problems, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently fined Celsius a whopping $4.7 billion as part of an out-of-court settlement. The financial consequences for Celsius and its former CEO seem to be mounting, reinforcing the scale of this alleged fraud.

Thus, the story of the collapse of Celsius Network and the arrest of its former CEO, Alex Mashinsky, plunges us into a world where trust is betrayed, ordinary investors are duped and legal consequences are inevitable. This case is a reminder of the importance of transparency and accountability in the ever-changing world of crypto.