Florida Man Pleads Guilty in $1.8 Billion Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme

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A man from Miami, Florida, who also maintained a residence in Prince George’s County, Maryland, has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to his involvement in a cryptocurrency fraud scheme that defrauded investors of approximately $1.8 billion. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, Rodney Burton, 56, admitted to conspiring to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business as part of his role in promoting the fraudulent cryptocurrency platform known as HyperFund.

The scheme, which ran from June 2020 to January 2022, involved HyperFund presenting itself as a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform. However, it was in reality a global wire-fraud operation. Promotional materials for HyperFund falsely promised investors daily passive rewards ranging from 0.5% to 1%, with the assurance that their initial investment would double or triple. The company also claimed these high returns were partly generated from extensive crypto-mining operations, a claim that proved to be untrue. By 2021, HyperFund began preventing investors from withdrawing their funds.

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Burton was found to have orchestrated several companies that, while purported to offer consulting services, functioned as unlicensed money transmitting businesses. These businesses were instrumental in promoting HyperFund and facilitating the fraudulent scheme. Through these operations, Burton personally profited at least $7,851,711. This sum includes funds obtained from HyperFund investors who were residents of Maryland.

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The guilty plea entered by Burton is for conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is facing a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 23rd at 11 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett. The investigation and prosecution of this case were credited to the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Individuals who invested in HyperFund, particularly those in Maryland, may have been victims of this extensive fraud. Residents seeking to report fraud or learn more about available resources can visit the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office website.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland

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