Cointime

Cointime

Download App
iOS & Android
Home / Policy

CFTC Files Complaint Against Tennessee Couple for Multi-Million Dollar Commodity Pool Scheme Defrauding Over 100 Individuals

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed a complaint against Michael and Amanda Griffis, residents of Clarksville, Tennessee, for allegedly defrauding over 100 individuals throughout the United States. The couple is accused of running a multi-million dollar commodity pool scheme called "Blessings of God Thru Crypto" from July 2022 to January 2023, promising high returns and minimized risks.

The CFTC's swift action in filing the complaint demonstrates their commitment to protecting investors from fraudulent schemes and ensuring compliance with financial regulations. The rise in fraudulent offerings in the digital currency ecosystem has led American regulators to double their efforts to bring these bad actors to book.

Fraud Cryptocurrency
Comments

All Comments

Recommended for you

  • Pennsylvania Passes "Bitcoin Rights" Bill and Considers Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Amid Criticism and Potential Economic Benefits

    Pennsylvania has passed the "Bitcoin Rights" bill, which protects the rights of individuals and businesses to self-custody digital assets, operate blockchain nodes, and conduct transactions without interference from restrictive municipal ordinances. This move establishes Pennsylvania as a leader in digital asset regulation and demonstrates its commitment to fostering innovation in the sector while addressing issues such as economic empowerment and financial inclusion. Additionally, two Republican Representatives have introduced the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act, which would allow the state treasurer to allocate up to 10% of Pennsylvania's funds into bitcoin and crypto-based exchange-traded products. However, critics have raised concerns about the risks of holding bitcoin in government reserves, including extreme price volatility and security vulnerabilities, as well as environmental concerns related to bitcoin mining's energy consumption. Despite this, Pennsylvania's proactive approach to fostering a crypto-friendly environment positions the state as a model for equitable digital asset adoption and underscores the growing role of state governments in shaping the future of the digital economy.

  • It is reported that Trump may meet with Ripple CEO and other crypto industry representatives to discuss the formulation of US crypto policy

     Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently gave an interview to Fox News and talked about his feelings regarding Trump's victory in the 24th US presidential election. There are reports that Brad Garlinghouse and other representatives from the cryptocurrency industry may meet with Trump to discuss participating in the formulation of US cryptocurrency policies. Fox News asked Brad Garlinghouse about this matter, and although it has not been confirmed, his response seemed to suggest that he would be open to it. Brad Garlinghouse said, "I won't comment too much on the details here. Throughout the entire election cycle, we have been actively supporting cryptocurrencies and innovation, and we will continue to work with more friendly government officials to get rid of current regulations through law enforcement."

  • EU regulators set out guidelines on restrictions for cryptocurrency providers

    the European Banking Authority (EBA) is the European regulatory agency responsible for addressing weaknesses in the European banking industry. It has issued two sets of guidelines, including specific guidelines for payment service providers (PSPs) and cryptocurrency asset service providers (CASPs). On November 14th, EBA released guidelines that specify the measures that PSPs and CASPs must take when transferring funds or cryptocurrency to comply with EU and national restrictive measures. According to EBA, these guidelines ensure the implementation of EU and national sanctions. EBA believes that weaknesses in control, internal policies, and procedures may pose legal and reputational risks to financial institutions (including PSPs and CASPs). In addition, weak links in these areas for financial institutions may also "weaken" the effectiveness of the EU's restrictive measures system. The European Banking Authority emphasizes that this may lead to rule evasion, thereby affecting the stability of the EU's financial ecosystem. According to ECA, these guidelines will apply from December 30, 2025.

  • Cardano founder confirms he will work with Trump administration on crypto legislation

     Cardano founder Charles Hoskinson has confirmed plans to collaborate with the US government under the leadership of President Trump to help formulate cryptocurrency legislation. The goal is to create a clear regulatory framework for the cryptocurrency industry, which has faced uncertainty and regulatory challenges for years. Hoskinson announced these plans in a recent speech and stated that developing positive policies regarding cryptocurrency requires support from both the Democratic and Republican parties. He stated that his company, Input Output Global (IOG), will establish a separate policy department for cryptocurrency regulation. This office will focus on developing a legislative framework that incorporates the provisions of the 21st Century Financial Innovation and Technology Act (FIT21) and the Responsible Financial Innovation Act (RFIA). He added, "I will work with legislators and the government to push for a bipartisan bill to be passed."

  • UK House of Lords backs Digital Asset Property Bill

    members of the UK House of Lords expressed support for the country's digital asset property bill during a second reading session on Wednesday. The House of Lords Committee generally believes that the bill will provide more clarity on how the legal system treats cryptocurrencies and may mark another step forward for the UK in paving the way for domestic cryptocurrency use. The bill was drafted by the independent statutory body, the Law Commission, and was launched in the UK in September. The bill adds a new "property" category within the scope of property to help resolve legal disputes involving cryptocurrencies. The bill will not only help judges in criminal proceedings involving cryptocurrency theft due to fraud or hacking, but will also help divide marital property.

  • UAE to introduce legal framework for DAOs

    The United Arab Emirates is focusing on introducing a legal framework for decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) in the Ras Al Khaimah Digital Asset Oasis (RAK DAO), a free economic zone dedicated to digital assets. Law firm NeosLegal and RAK DAO announced that the new system will be launched and discussed at the DAO Legal Clinic on October 25th. Irina Heaver, a partner at NeosLegal, said that the framework is expected to clarify how DAOs can remain legally compliant, and she believes this will have a significant impact on decentralized governance in the UAE and the wider Web3 ecosystem. The announcement emphasizes that the legal structure will clarify tax obligations and benefits. It will also establish property rights for on-chain and off-chain assets and provide legal protection for the founders, members, and contributors of the DAO from personal liability. The legal framework will also enable DAOs to enter into legally binding contracts and establish guidelines for resolving internal and external disputes.

  • Deutsche Börse Clearstream: D7 platform has issued over 10 billion euros in digital bonds

    Deutsche Börse's Clearstream announced that its digital securities platform D7 has issued over 10 billion euros (11 billion US dollars) in digital bonds. Currently, D7 is mainly used for two types of issuance, namely large digital bonds and structured products. From a technical perspective, the D7 platform uses DAML smart contracts, and the latest version of DAML supports the Canton blockchain. Previously, Clearstream also participated in a practical experiment using the French wholesale central bank digital currency CBDC for settlement.

  • The European Central Bank cut interest rates by another 25 basis points, in line with expectations

    The European Central Bank has lowered the deposit facility rate from 3.5% to 3.25%, in line with market expectations. At the same time, the main refinancing rate and the marginal lending rate were adjusted from 3.65% and 3.9% to 3.4% and 3.65%, respectively.

  • ZachXBT: Suspected insiders made $3.8 million in profits on RTR

    On August 10th, Chain Detective ZachXBT posted on social media that 4 addresses made a profit of $3.8 million in the RTR sell-off, with the 9G1ELG and GHoW2 addresses belonging to the same person and receiving 500 SOL in new funds within minutes after the TGE. Previously, it was reported that Restore The Republic (RTR) had its TGE on the evening of August 8th, with rumors circulating in the community that it was related to a new project by the Trump family. The RTR token reached a high of $0.156 on August 9th at midnight. Afterwards, Eric Trump, the current Executive Vice President of the Trump Organization and son of Donald Trump, warned on social media to "be careful of false tokens" and that the only official Trump project has yet to be announced and will be announced on Twitter first. After the statement was released, RTR quickly dropped by about 95%, with a trading volume of $164 million within just 15 hours of its creation.

  • The U.S. Internal Revenue Service has released a new draft of the crypto tax form, which no longer requires filling in wallet addresses and transaction IDs

    The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released an updated draft version of tax form 1099-DA for cryptocurrency brokers and investors to report certain transaction income. The public has 30 days to provide feedback to the IRS on this version. Starting in 2026, cryptocurrency investors who use brokers (currently mainly Coinbase and Kraken, among others) will receive 1099-DAs from these brokers to report certain cryptocurrency sales and trades as taxable events to the IRS. IRS officials say this form will "bring more convenience and clarity" to users who pay US cryptocurrency taxes.

Daily Must-Read

Popular Activities

Delysium $AGI & AI Private Yacht Party

Delysium $AGI & AI Private Yacht Party

March 27 - March 27
Seoul

Popular Tags

Cointime
News
Contents
RSS
Company