15 Years Behind Bars for a Swedish Man Who Stole Over $16 Million in Bitcoin
The Swedish resident – Roger Nils-Jonas Karlsson – pleaded guilty to luring at least 3,575 people into a fraudulent Bitcoin investment scheme. According to the investigation, he embezzled more than $16 million from his illegal actions and will spend the next 15 years in federal prison.
The Pension Plans Turned out to Be a BTC Scam
The Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed that the 47-year-old Roger Nils-Jonas Karlsson skimmed thousands of people in a typical “Ponzi scheme” between 2012 and 2019. During that period, the criminal convinced more than 3,500 people to send him funds in bitcoin and other digital assets, which he later used for personal benefits.
Nine years ago, the Swedish man and his company – Eastern Metal Securities (EMS) – started enticing people into a “Pre Funded Reversed Pension Plan.” Karlsson promised to grant his investors an eventual payout of 1.15 kilograms of gold (worth around $45,000 at that time) per $100 share.
Furthermore, he gave his victims fake financial statements and assured them that their money (mainly in the form of cryptocurrencies) was in safe hands.
The fraudulent scheme continued until Karlsson was arrested in Thailand in 2019 and later on extradited to the U.S. The investigation revealed that he used the funds entirely for his personal enrichment, acquiring a resort in Thailand, luxurious condos, and even a racehorse:
“The investigation into Roger Karlsson’s fraud uncovered a frighteningly callous scheme that lasted more than a decade during which Karlsson targeted thousands of victims, including financially vulnerable seniors, to callously rob them of their assets and all to fuel an extravagant lifestyle surrounded by luxury condominiums and lavish international vacations.”
Karlsson’s prison sentence could have been longer, but he pleaded guilty to all charges against him and will see the inside of a prison cell for a reduced period of 15 years. Moreover, the US authorities ordered him to forfeit the Thai resort alongside other properties as part of the sentence. He must also restore the nearly $16 million he stole from the victims.
12 Years in Prison for Buying Lethal Chemical Weapon with BTC
CryptoPotato recently reported about the case with Jason William Siesser. The resident of Missouri tried to purchase a deadly chemical weapon on the Dark web paying for it with bitcoin. What’s more, Siesser intended to use it soon and thus kill up to 300 people.
Fortunately, law enforcement officials managed to track his criminal intentions. Controlled delivery of a package that contained an inert substance was sent to his home:
“Siesser believed the package contained the chemical weapon he had ordered, signed for the package, and took it inside the residence,” the Justice Department reported.
During the search of his home, the officers found toxic elements such as cadmium arsenide, cadmium metal, and a sizeable amount of hydrochloric acid believed to be purchased in BTC. Siesser pleaded guilty and will spend the next 12 years in federal prison.
