Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%

Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.

Founders of Cryptocurrency-Focused Tech Company Face Federal Fraud Charges

By Colby Hamilton
May 01, 2018

Two heads of a tech company that raised tens of millions through an initial coin offering (ICO) for what was sold as the world's first multi-blockchain debit card now face federal civil and criminal charges for allegedly defrauding investors.

Sohrab Sharma and Robert Farkas, identified by officials as the co-founders of Centra Tech Inc., were charged with securities and wire fraud by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and securities and wire fraud charges by the Justice Department. The charges were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

According to federal officials, Sharma and Farkas issued a fraudulent ICO that raised at least $32 million from thousands of investors. The funding was supposed to build a suite of financial products, such as the debit card that investors were told would be backed by Visa and Mastercard. The card would allow instantaneous conversion of cryptocurrencies into U.S. dollars and other forms of government-backed legal tender.

This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only

  • Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
  • Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
  • Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts

For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473

Read These Next
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws Image

This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.

The Article 8 Opt In Image

The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.

Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin Image

With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.

Legal Possession: What Does It Mean? Image

Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.

The Stranger to the Deed Rule Image

In 1987, a unanimous Court of Appeals reaffirmed the vitality of the "stranger to the deed" rule, which holds that if a grantor executes a deed to a grantee purporting to create an easement in a third party, the easement is invalid. Daniello v. Wagner, decided by the Second Department on November 29th, makes it clear that not all grantors (or their lawyers) have received the Court of Appeals' message, suggesting that the rule needs re-examination.