A Manhattan listening to as we speak noticed Terraform Labs co-founder, Do Kwon, deny fees tied to the TerraUSD collapse.
Do Kwon, the co-founder the co-founder of Terraform Labs, pleaded not responsible to prison fraud fees in a Manhattan federal court docket on Thursday after being extradited from Montenegro, in response to Reuters.
The costs stem from his position within the collapse of the TerraUSD and Luna cryptocurrencies, which erased an estimated $40 billion in market worth in 2022.
Do Kwon ‘misled’ traders
Federal prosecutors allege that Kwon misled traders about TerraUSD’s stability, claiming in 2021 that its worth was maintained by a proprietary algorithm. Prosecutors assert that Kwon secretly used a high-frequency buying and selling agency to artificially maintain the stablecoin’s $1 peg, in response to Reuters.
The indictment consists of fees of securities fraud, commodities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, and cash laundering.
The costs comply with a turbulent 12 months for Kwon, who fled because the Terra blockchain collapse triggered a wave of bankruptcies, together with high-profile corporations like Three Arrows Capital.
Interpol issued a Pink Discover for his seize, and he was arrested in Montenegro in March 2024 whereas trying to board a flight with solid passports.
Montenegro’s Justice Minister just lately accepted Kwon’s extradition to the US, ending months of authorized wrangling between the U.S. and South Korea, each of which sought to prosecute him. Though Kwon now faces important authorized challenges within the U.S., South Korean authorities proceed their investigation, which may result in a 40-year jail sentence if convicted.
Kwon’s subsequent court docket look is anticipated to stipulate additional proceedings. His case stays a central subject in discussions about accountability inside the cryptocurrency trade.
