Michaela
Summary: What was the fake government agency used in the crypto fraud scheme?
Mazzotta and his co-defendant created a fake agency called the Federal Crypto Reserve (FCR). They used it to convince victims to pay more money under the false promise of investigating the very companies that had taken their investments. This tactic helped them continue the scam and defraud victims of over $13 million.
Vincent Anthony Mazzotta, who also used the alias “Vincent Midnight,” has admitted to laundering money and conspiring to obstruct justice in connection with a multimillion-dollar investment fraud scheme targeting crypto investors.
Court filings reveal that Mazzotta worked with co-defendants to mislead investors with false claims of high returns from cryptocurrency investments. The scheme promoted the use of AI-powered trading bots to lend credibility, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
In addition to deceiving investors with false promises, Mazzotta is accused of intensifying the scheme by creating a fake government agency, which he used to exploit victims further after their initial losses.
“The defendants in this case purported to be U.S. governmental entities to legitimize their scams, before ultimately attracting the scrutiny of actual federal authorities who were special agents from IRS Criminal Investigation,” Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher of the IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles Field Office stated.
Mazzotta, along with co-defendant David Saffron, is accused of misleading investors with false assurances of rapid, high-return profits through cryptocurrency trading. Prosecutors allege the pair directed victims to invest in entities such as Mind Capital, Cloud9Capital, and other associated firms.
Furthermore, the pair established a fake government agency called the Federal Crypto Reserve (FCR), which they used to continue exploiting investors. Authorities say Mazzotta and Saffron solicited thousands of dollars from victims under the pretense that the FCR would investigate firms like Mind Capital and Cloud9Capital. In total, the scheme is believed to have defrauded victims of more than $13 million.
Court records further allege that Mazzotta worked with others to obstruct justice by helping hide and destroy evidence at Saffron’s residence after his arrest. He is also accused of manipulating corporate records at his own company, Runway Beauty Inc., in an effort to conceal his role in the investment fraud from a federal grand jury.
Mazzotta entered a guilty plea to charges of money laundering and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The money laundering conviction carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, while the obstruction charge could result in an additional five years behind bars.
This case goes far beyond the typical Ponzi scheme. It spotlights a growing trend in crypto fraud, where scammers aren’t just peddling fake tokens, they’re imitating the very institutions meant to protect investors.
By creating a fake government agency, Mazzotta and his co-defendant blurred the line between authority and exploitation, making the scam even harder to detect. For anyone navigating the digital asset space, this serves as a clear warning: the next big con may not look like a scam at all—it might look official.
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Michaela has no crypto positions and does not hold any crypto assets. This article is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The Shib Magazine and The Shib Daily are the official media and publications of the Shiba Inu cryptocurrency project. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial adviser before making any investment decisions.
