Fake Trading Platform Busted: Court Orders Fraudsters to Repay Victims

A federal court has ordered the recovery of nearly $2.3 million for victims of a fraudulent digital asset trading scheme operated by Debiex.

A federal court has ordered the recovery of over $2.3 million for victims of a fraudulent digital asset trading scheme operated by Debiex. The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona issued a default judgment on March 13, holding Debiex accountable for misappropriating customer funds and ultimately ordering the recovery of the stolen funds.

As announced by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the order also bans Debiex from trading in any CFTC regulated markets or registering with the CFTC. Additionally, Debiex is required to pay a $221,466 civil monetary penalty and over $2.2 million in restitution.

The ruling follows a complaint filed by the CFTC, which asserted that Debiex had deceived investors by fabricating a digital asset trading platform. The court documents highlight that the customers were tricked into depositing funds into fake trading accounts, with the intent to steal their money.

"Instead of using the funds to trade on behalf of the customers, as promised, Debiex misappropriated the customers' digital assets," the CFTC stated. The agency further noted that the Debiex websites were a facade, designed to deceive customers into thinking they were participating in legitimate live trading.

"Unbeknownst to the customers, and as alleged, the Debiex websites merely mimicked the features of a legitimate live trading platform and the 'trading accounts' depicted on the websites were a complete ruse. No actual digital asset trading took place on the customers' behalf," the CFTC added in its announcement.

The court also took action to recover additional funds held by relief defendant Zhāng Chéng Yáng, a money mule whose digital asset wallet contained misappropriated customer funds. On March 12, a separate order was issued to return approximately $120,000 in digital assets, still in Zhang's wallet, to the victim from whom they were stolen.

While the court's ruling orders restitution, it's important to note that recovery is not always guaranteed, as wrongdoers may lack sufficient assets. As the CFTC continues to combat fraud, investors are urged to exercise caution and due diligence.

The CFTC advises investors to verify that the firms, email addresses, and phone numbers used match the contact information listed on the CFTC's website before committing any funds. Additionally, any suspicious activity should be reported to the CFTC or other relevant authorities immediately.