DOJ Crypto Scam Docket Revisited: Mistrial Over “Mistake” Fails to Shield MoonPay
A federal district court’s brief sealing of the entire docket in a high-profile DOJ crypto fraud case against Nigerian scammers accused of duping victims linked to MoonPay triggered widespread backlash. The sealing occurred after NOTUS reported unusual connections within the complaint involving MoonPay executives and Donald Trump’s crypto space.
The Alleged Scam
According to filed documents and NOTUS reporting, scammers impersonated Steve Witkoff, a Trump official involved in the “Official TRUMP” cryptocurrency launch. They targeted MoonPay executives, Ivan Soto-Wright (CEO) and Mouna Ammari Siala (CFO), via spear-phishing emails discovered on Christmas Eve 2024 that exploited a slight typo in a domain name. The victims allegedly transferred $250,300.
The DOJ’s “Mistake” and Unsealed Docket
Interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro attributed the sealing of the entire docket to “ministerial, clerical error” by court clerks. She stated prosecutors “never asked for the docket to be sealed,” but requested the original complaint be redacted to shield the name of a specific “company.” An amended complaint was filed, seemingly unsealing the document structure.
Former prosecutors found the sealing of the entire docket highly unusual, suggesting officials “panicked” after the error was noticed.
Funds Recovery and Targeting High-Profile Figures
Initially reported by Decrypt, the FBI traced the blockchain transactions and successfully recovered $40,300 of the stolen funds, aided by Tether freezing the assets.
Critics, including crypto regulation advocate Mark Hays, suggested the DOJ’s resources might be disproportionately focused on high-profile cases, including those connected to Trump or his ventures.
MoonPay’s Connection
MoonPay facilitated the victims’ crypto transactions. Crucially, the platform served as the designated “on-ramp” provider for the official Trump-associated TRUMP coin, seeing a significant post-launch increase in transactions.
New York attorney Lisa Bloom observes that the DOJ’s seemingly hasty sealing coupled with the targeted nature of the case might be attributed to broader sensitivities surrounding high-profile figures in crypto.
No Comment from MoonPay or DOJ
Both MoonPay and the U.S. Department of Justice have declined Decrypt’s requests for comment regarding the case.
