HyperVerse Crypto Scheme Allegedly Invented Fake CEO, Leading to $1.3B Loss

Despite impressive credentials presented for CEO Steven Reece Lewis, no record of him could be found, raising questions about the legitimacy of the scheme.

• HyperVerse, an Australian metaverse investment scheme, allegedly invented a fake CEO, Steven Reece Lewis, to attract investors, leading to the loss of $1.3 billion of investors' funds.
• HyperVerse was flagged by regulators in New Zealand and the UK as a potential scam in 2021, but the founders denied these claims.
• Steven Reece Lewis was presented with impressive credentials, including degrees from Leeds University and Cambridge University, and a decade of experience in the IT and fintech sectors, but no record of him could be found.
• Endorsements from celebrities like Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, actor Chuck Norris, and singer Lance Bass were seemingly secured for HyperVerse, possibly through the video-request platform Cameo.
• Cryptocurrency scams rose by 162% from 2021 to 2022 in Australia, amounting to the loss of $148 million.

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