Overview
- The civil complaint, filed December 22 in the District of Colorado, names Morocoin Tech, Berge Blockchain Technology, Cirkor, AI Wealth, Lane Wealth, AI Investment Education Foundation, and Zenith Asset Tech Foundation.
- The SEC alleges a January 2024–January 2025 scheme that recruited U.S. retail investors via social media into WhatsApp groups run by impostor 'professors' touting AI‑generated tips and using deepfake ads to boost credibility.
- Regulators say no trading occurred on the purported platforms, which pushed fictitious security token offerings and later demanded advance fees or taxes when victims attempted withdrawals, sometimes citing false regulatory actions.
- At least $7.4 million in crypto and $6.6 million in fiat were misappropriated and routed through domestic bank accounts and unhosted wallets to overseas destinations including China, Hong Kong, and Indonesia.
- The SEC seeks permanent injunctions and civil penalties against all defendants plus disgorgement with interest from the platform operators, as officials highlight parallel DOJ seizures tied to victims and warn of rising chat‑based fraud.