SEC指控的PGI Global創始人欺騙了近2億美元的投資者

美國證券交易委員會（SEC）負責現已停產的加密貨幣和外匯投資公司PGI Global的創始人，違反了聯邦

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today charged the founder of now-defunct crypto and foreign exchange investment company PGI Global, with engaging in a "Ponzi-like scheme" to defraud investors over the course of two years.

美國證券交易委員會（SEC）今天指控現已停產的加密貨幣和外匯投資公司PGI Global的創始人，並在兩年的時間內違反了“類似龐氏騙局的計劃”。

According to regulators, Ramil Palafox, 59, of Las Vegas, Nevada, is also the subject of parallel criminal charges being brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ). A Virginia grand jury indicted Palafox in March with 23 counts of fraud, including eight counts of wire fraud.

根據監管機構，內華達州拉斯維加斯的59歲的拉米爾·帕拉福克斯（Ramil Palafox）也是司法部（DOJ）提出的平行刑事指控的主題。弗吉尼亞大陪審團在3月起起訴Palafox，涉嫌欺詐罪，其中包括八項電匯欺詐罪。

However, due to what prosecutors described as Palafox’s “substantial ties” to the Philippines, including dual citizenship, the judge overseeing his criminal case on Tuesday issued an order that Palafox should remain in custody until further notice.

但是，由於檢察官稱Palafox與菲律賓的“實質性聯繫”，包括雙重公民身份，法官在周二監督其刑事案件的法官發布了一項命令，即Palafox應繼續拘留，直到另行通知。

According to the SEC’s complaint, PGI Global was a crypto investment scheme that ran from January 2020 to October 2021. Approximately 90,000 investors around the world purchased membership packages with either bitcoin (BTC) or fiat currency that promised hefty returns on their investments — up to 3% daily and a 200% total return.

根據SEC的投訴，PGI Global是一項加密投資計劃，該計劃從2020年1月到2021年10月。全球大約有90,000名投資者購買了帶有比特幣（BTC）或法定貨幣的會員套餐，或者承諾在投資上獲得大量回報，最多每天3％，總回報率為200％。

But instead of actually investing his clients’ money, prosecutors say Palafox spent over a quarter of the funds unjustly enriching himself and his family members, and used the rest to pay back earlier investors in the scheme until it collapsed.

但是，檢察官說，與其實際投資客戶的錢，不如說，Palafox花費了四分之一以上的資金來不公正地豐富自己和他的家人，並用其餘的人用其他資金來償還該計劃的早期投資者，直到倒塌為止。

"Palafox used the guise of innovation to lure investors into lining his pockets with millions of dollars while leaving many victims e, " said Laura D’Allaird, chief of the SEC’s new Cyber and Emerging Technologies Unit. "In reality, his false claims of crypto industry expertise and a supposed AI-powered auto-trading platform were just masking an international securities fraud."

SEC新的網絡和新興技術部門負責人Laura D'Allaird說：“ Palafox利用創新的幌子吸引投資者將自己的口袋與數百萬美元的貨物襯裡，同時留下了許多受害者E。” “實際上，他對加密行業專業知識和所謂的AI驅動自動交易平台的虛假主張只是掩蓋了國際證券欺詐。”

Since the beginning of U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term in January, the SEC has drastically overhauled its approach to crypto regulation.

自從美國總統唐納德·特朗普（Donald Trump）在一月份的第二任期開始以來，美國證券交易委員會（SEC）已徹底大修了其加密監管的方法。

After years of instituting an aggressive agenda focused largely on pressuring crypto companies into registering their offerings with the agency, the SEC has dropped several investigations and some litigation against crypto firms that were being pursued by the agency’s Enforcement Division.

經過多年提起積極的議程，重點是向加密貨幣公司施加壓力，要求其在該機構註冊其產品後，SEC已撤銷了幾項調查，並針對該機構執法部門正在提起的加密貨幣公司進行了一些訴訟。

Despite its about-face on the so-called “regulation-by-enforcement” practiced during former Chair Gary Gensler’s tenure, the SEC has promised that it will continue to go after crypto-related securities fraud.

儘管在前主席加里·蓋斯勒（Gary Gensler）任職期間實行所謂的“逐項法規”，但SEC承諾將繼續在與加密貨幣相關的證券欺詐之後繼續進行。

Similarly, the DOJ has narrowed its approach to crypto-related prosecution, disbanding its crypto task force and instructing staff not to criminally charge regulatory violations in cases involving crypto. In a memo to staff last month, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told prosecutors to focus their efforts on going after “individuals who victimize digital asset investors.”

同樣，司法部也縮小了與加密相關起訴的方法，解散其加密貨幣工作隊，並指示員工在涉及加密貨幣的案件中不要刑事違法行為。上個月，副檢察長托德·布蘭奇（Todd Blanche）在給員工的備忘錄中，告訴檢察官將努力集中在追求“受害數字資產投資者的個人”上。

In Palafox’s case, the SEC is aiming to get investors’ money back, plus interest and civil penalties, as well as get injunctive relief that would prevent him from similar crimes in the future. The SEC is also seeking to get money back from several of Palafox’s family members, including his wife, Marissa Mendoza Palafox, and his brother-in-law, Darvie Mendoza.

就Palafox而言，SEC的目的是使投資者的資金恢復，再加上利息和民事處罰，並獲得了禁令的救濟，以阻止他將來遭受類似的罪行。 SEC還試圖從Palafox的幾個家庭成員中賺錢，包括他的妻子Marissa Mendoza Palafox和他的姐夫Darvie Mendoza。

In a submission to the court, the DOJ has said that Palafox — if found guilty — is facing “at least 108-135 months’ imprisonment,” or 9 to 11 years.

司法部在向法院提交的情況下說，帕拉福克斯（如果被判有罪）面臨“至少108-135個月的監禁”，即9至11年。

Palafox’s lawyer did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Palafox的律師沒有回應尋求評論的電子郵件。