In a United States court, Aurelien Michel, the originator of the “Mutant Ape Planet” NFTs, has admitted guilt for defrauding investors.
“Today’s proceeding took place before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. When sentenced, Michel faces up to five years in prison. Michel has also agreed to pay $1.4 million in forfeiture,” the statement noted.
NFT Scammer Expected To Receive Prison Sentence
In a recent statement from the United States Attorney’s Office of New York, it is revealed that Michel could be facing prison after acknowledging his deliberate act of defrauding investors in the Mutant Ape Planet NFT project:
“With today’s guilty plea, Michel has admitted that he conspired with others to defraud consumers eager to participate in a new digital asset market,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace.”
Meanwhile, the statement emphasizes that authorities are actively persisting in their endeavors to apprehend individuals seeking to manipulate the digital assets market and deceive investors for personal financial gain:
“Holding these criminal actors accountable and protecting the public is, and will remain, a priority of this Office.”
Learn more: What Is a Rug Pull? A Guide to the Web3 Scam
FBI Recent Warning Against NFT Scams
Furthermore, this comes not long after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warning over the rising amount of NFT scams in recent times.
On August 7, BeInCrypto reported that the scams are progressing in sophistication, increasingly leaving victims in the dark.
“Unfortunately, criminals are getting more sophisticated, using the surge in NFT interest to target innocent enthusiasts,” the statement noted.
Learn more: 15 Most Common Crypto Scams To Look Out For
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