南加州的起訴可能預示著其他有爭議的加密項目的影響

觀察人士指出，這一備受矚目的案件是迄今為止最大的 NFT 詐欺起訴案之一，可能預示著對其他有爭議的加密項目的潛在影響

Two Southern California men have been indicted on federal fraud charges in what prosecutors say is one of the largest prosecutions to date over allegations of fraud involving non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

兩名南加州男子被指控聯邦欺詐，檢察官稱這是迄今為止針對涉及不可替代代幣（NFT）欺詐指控的最大起訴之一。

The燬 indictments, unsealed Friday in Los Angeles, come amid heightened legal scrutiny of cryptocurrency projects following the high-profile collapse of several digital asset ventures in 2022.

這些損害起訴書週五在洛杉磯公佈，正值 2022 年幾家數位資產企業高調倒閉後，加密貨幣項目的法律審查更加嚴格。

According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), 23-year-old Gabriel Hay of Beverly Hills and 23-year-old Gavin Mayo of Thousand Oaks each face multiple counts of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

據司法部(DOJ) 稱，比佛利山莊23 歲的加布里埃爾·海伊(Gabriel Hay) 和千橡市23 歲的加文·梅奧(Gavin Mayo) 各自面臨多項電匯欺詐和共謀電匯詐欺罪名。

The charges stem from allegations that between May 2021 and May 2024, Hay and Mayo carried out multiple “rug pull” schemes involving NFT offerings on prominent blockchain platforms, such as Ethereum and Solana.

這些指控源於指控稱，Hay 和 Mayo 在 2021 年 5 月至 2024 年 5 月期間實施了多項「拉動」計劃，涉及在以太坊和 Solana 等著名區塊鏈平台上提供 NFT 產品。

Prosecutors allege that the suspects lured investors with elaborate “project roadmaps” and assurances that the tokens being sold would be backed by real-world assets or exclusive benefits. Instead, the pair allegedly abandoned the projects once they had raised substantial capital, leaving thousands of investors with NFTs that quickly became worthless.

檢察官稱，嫌疑人透過精心設計的「專案路線圖」並保證所出售的代幣將得到現實世界資產或獨家利益的支持來吸引投資者。相反，據稱，兩人在籌集了大量資金後就放棄了這些項目，導致數千名投資者持有的 NFT 很快就變得一文不值。

Authorities have identified projects with names like “Vault of Gems,” “Dirty Dogs,” and “Sinful Souls” as among those allegedly misused to generate illicit gains.

當局已將“寶石庫”、“骯髒的狗”和“罪惡的靈魂”等名稱的項目列為涉嫌濫用以獲取非法收益的項目。

If convicted, Hay and Mayo each face up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud-related counts and up to five years on a separate charge of stalking, which prosecutors say arose when they allegedly harassed a project manager who attempted to expose their activities.

如果罪名成立，Hay 和 Mayo 因電匯欺詐相關罪名將面臨最高 20 年的監禁，並因跟踪跟踪罪而面臨最高 5 年的監禁，檢察官稱，他們涉嫌騷擾一名試圖揭露其活動的項目經理。 。

U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada emphasized in a statement that “whenever a new investment trend occurs, scammers are sure to follow.”

美國檢察官馬丁·埃斯特拉達在一份聲明中強調，“每當出現新的投資趨勢，詐騙者肯定會跟進。”

“Victims of these rug pulls often lose their life savings, and they deserve justice,” Estrada added. “This office will continue to work closely with the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation to identify, investigate, and prosecute these fraudsters to the fullest extent of the law.”

埃斯特拉達補充道：“這些拉扯行為的受害者往往會失去畢生積蓄，他們應該得到正義。” “該辦公室將繼續與聯邦調查局和國稅局刑事調查部門密切合作，在法律允許的最大範圍內識別、調查和起訴這些欺詐者。”

The indictments also come as legal experts and consumer advocates are closely watching the fallout from the recent collapse of the Hawk Tuah meme coin, which was promoted heavily on social media.

這些起訴書發布之際，法律專家和消費者權益倡導者正在密切關注最近在社群媒體上大力宣傳的 Hawk Tuah meme 幣崩潰的影響。

The $HAWK coin, promoted by social media celebrity Haliey Welch—best known for her viral “Hawk Tuah” catchphrase—launched on Dec. 4 to significant fanfare. Within minutes, its market capitalization reportedly soared to around $490 million on the Solana blockchain, only to plunge over 90 percent shortly thereafter, prompting outrage and allegations of “snipers” and insider profiteering.

$HAWK 代幣由社交媒體名人 Haliey Welch 推廣，她以其病毒式的“Hawk Tuah”口號而聞名，於 12 月 4 日推出，引起了廣泛關注。據報道，幾分鐘之內，其在 Solana 區塊鏈上的市值飆升至約 4.9 億美元，但不久後又暴跌超過 90%，引發了人們的憤怒和對「狙擊手」和內部暴利的指控。

Investors claimed they lost millions in the collapse, with at least one lawsuit filed in New York federal court seeking over $150,000 in damages.

投資者聲稱他們在此次倒閉中損失了數百萬美元，至少有一項訴訟向紐約聯邦法院提起，要求賠償超過 15 萬美元。

Although Welch herself is not named as a defendant, critics allege her social media endorsements helped generate a “speculative frenzy” among inexperienced crypto buyers. In statements posted on X (formerly Twitter), Welch has maintained her innocence and vowed to cooperate fully with any legal inquiries on behalf of affected investors.

儘管韋爾奇本人沒有被列為被告，但批評人士稱，她的社交媒體支持在缺乏經驗的加密貨幣買家中引發了「投機狂潮」。在 X（前身為 Twitter）上發布的聲明中，韋爾奇堅稱自己是清白的，並誓言將代表受影響的投資者全力配合任何法律調查。

The Hawk Tuah controversy shares some thematic parallels with the allegations against Hay and Mayo. Both cases involve internet hype, an exponential increase in token prices, and a swift downturn that left contributors with steep financial losses.

霍克·圖阿的爭議與針對海伊和梅奧的指控有一些主題相似之處。這兩個案例都涉及網路炒作、代幣價格呈指數級上漲，以及導致貢獻者遭受巨大經濟損失的快速下滑。

Consumer advocates have noted that, much like the NFT scam described in the California indictment, the Hawk Tuah controversy also featured the promise of exclusivity and community rewards.

消費者權益倡導者指出，與加州起訴書中描述的 NFT 騙局非常相似，Hawk Tuah 爭議也以排他性和社區獎勵的承諾為特色。

However, crucial distinctions exist. While Hay and Mayo are accused of deliberately planning to abandon their projects after collecting millions, Welch’s representatives insist her team retained their holdings and never attempted to “dump” or profit from selling $HAWK tokens.

然而，存在著重要的差異。雖然Hay 和Mayo 被指控在籌集了數百萬美元後故意計劃放棄他們的項目，但韋爾奇的代表堅稱她的團隊保留了他們的股份，並且從未試圖「拋售」或透過出售$HAWK代幣獲利。

The influencer has not been charged with any wrongdoing but remains under scrutiny, as investor lawsuits unfold to determine whether the meme coin offering violated securities laws.

這位影響者尚未被指控犯有任何不當行為，但仍受到審查，因為投資者正在提起訴訟，以確定模因代幣發行是否違反了證券法。

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the DOJ have ramped up enforcement against crypto-related fraud, forming specialized units like the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) to combat illicit activities. As the indictment of Hay and Mayo demonstrates, federal authorities remain vigilant.

美國證券交易委員會（SEC）和司法部加強了針對加密貨幣相關詐欺的執法力度，成立了國家加密貨幣執法小組（NCET）等專門單位來打擊非法活動。正如海伊和梅奧的起訴書所表明的那樣，聯邦當局仍然保持警惕。

“Fraudsters take advantage of new technologies and financial products,” said Principal Deputy Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, “and the Department of Justice is committed to pursuing offenders who exploit investor trust.”

“欺詐者利用新技術和金融產品，”首席副總檢察長 Nicole M. Argentieri 表示，“司法部致力於追捕利用投資者信任的犯罪分子。”

For the Hawk Tuah coin case, potential legal ramifications remain uncertain. Industry observers suggest that, depending on what emerges from ongoing investigations, either civil or criminal actions might follow if evidence points to deliberate investor deception.

對於 Hawk Tuah 硬幣案，潛在的法律後果仍不確定。產業觀察家表示，根據正在進行的調查結果，如果有證據表明存在故意欺騙投資者的行為，可能會採取民事或刑事訴訟。

Welch, who has faced criticism over her handling of the situation, has promised to help “uncover the truth” behind the coin’s abrupt collapse.

韋爾奇因處理此事而受到批評，但她承諾幫助「揭開比特幣突然暴跌背後的真相」。