Ryan Felton, Crypto Scams, Georgia 2023
Atlanta Film Producer Pleads Guilty to Crypto Scams
Atlanta, Georgia - In a shocking turn of events, Ryan Felton, a 48-year-old Atlanta film producer, has pleaded guilty to multiple counts of wire fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering charges.
According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Felton was involved in two cryptocurrency investment schemes that cost investors millions in losses. The schemes, which took place in 2017 and 2018, involved the promotion of two cryptocurrency investment opportunities, FLiK and CoinSpark.
FLiK was an entertainment streaming platform that Felton promised would surpass Netflix. However, in reality, the company had no military contract, and Felton never had discussions with any studio about licensing content. Despite this, Felton dumped over 40 million FLiK coins on trading markets, causing the value of FLiK coins to plummet.
Investors were promised a 25% dividend from the profits of CoinSpark, a cryptocurrency trading exchange. However, Felton never spoke with the accounting firm he claimed would audit CoinSpark's finances on a quarterly basis. After raising over $200,000 in the ICO, Felton announced that CoinSpark would not pay Spark investors a dividend and offered ICO investors a refund, which he repeatedly rejected or ignored.
Felton used the funds from the ICOs to fund his extravagant lifestyle, including an all-cash purchase of a $1.5 million residence, a $180,000 red 2007 Ferrari 599 GTB Fioran Coupe, a new $58,250 Chevy Tahoe, and approximately $30,000 in diamond jewelry.
Felton pleaded guilty to twelve counts of wire fraud, ten counts of money laundering, and two counts of securities fraud. The case is a stark reminder of the dangers of investing in cryptocurrency opportunities that appear too good to be true.
The FBI is committed to protecting investors from sophisticated cryptocurrency scammers like Felton, who seek to capitalize on the novelty of digital currency.
Felton's conviction should serve as a warning to anyone who seeks to capitalize on emerging technology to victimize others.
Facts:
Defendant: Ryan Felton
Criminal Charges: Wire fraud, securities fraud, money laundering
City and State: Atlanta, Georgia
Date: 2023
Sentence: Pleaded guilty
Dollar Amounts: $2.4 million, $1.5 million, $180,000, $58,250, $30,000
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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