Terraform Labs Co-Founder Do Kwon Pleads Not Guilty to Fraud Charges, Faces 130 Years in Prison

Terraform Labs former CEO Do Kwon has refuted the fraud allegations against him for his role in the $40 billion losses related to the collapse of the

Terraform Labs former CEO Do Kwon has refuted the fraud allegations against him for his role in the $40 billion losses related to the collapse of the company’s cryptocurrencies. The crypto mogul was finally extradited to the US on Dec. 31 and will face the weight of the US justice system.

“As we allege, this fraud and the crash of Terraform’s cryptocurrencies in May 2022 erased over $40 billion in investor assets, causing devastating losses to countless investors in the United States and around the world. Kwon will now face justice in a federal courtroom in Manhattan,” said Daniel M. Gitner, Attorney for the United States for the New York Southern District.

After many back-and-forths between Montenegrin, US, and South Korean authorities over which jurisdiction would handle his fraud case, Montenegro eventually greenlit his deportation to the US. Despite being citizens of both countries, Kwon seemingly leaned towards a South Korean extradition which would afford him potentially less severe penalties.

Shortly after his arrest in Montenegro in 2023 for trying to use a fake passport to travel to Dubai, Kwon was initially indicted of eight counts of fraud by US prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.

Upon his arrival to the US, the 33-year-old made his first court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger of the Southern District of New York and has allegedly pleaded not guilty to the fraudulent offenses he’s charged with.

The charges include two counts of commodities fraud, two counts of securities fraud, two counts of wire fraud, two counts of conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, securities, and wire fraud, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. For all these offenses, Kwon could spend a total of 130 years behind bars, if convicted.

A superseding indictment by the Federal Prosecutors alleges that “From at least in or about 2018, up to and including in or about 2022, DO HYEONG KWON, the defendant, orchestrated schemes to defraud purchasers of cryptocurrencies created and issued by a company that he co-founded called Tenaform.”

Authorities discovered that Kwon’s financial ecosystem was built on the manipulation and deception of investors, business partners, and regulators about Terraform Labs’ state and operations. While other parties saw a thriving enterprise replete with investment opportunities, Kwon knew all along that the Terraform products fell short of his advertised expectations.

The lawsuit highlighted five major misrepresentations the crypto mogul made to facilitate his fraudulent scheme and lure in investors. The case against Kwon is now under Judge John P. Cronan of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York and the defendant will face the judge on Jan 8 for an initial conference.