HyperFund Owners Accused of Fraud in $1.7 Billion Pyramid Scheme

Key Takeaways

• The SEC charged Sam Lee and Brenda Chunga who pleaded guilty to charges related to fraud
• HyperFund has been labeled by the SEC as a pyramid scheme with no real revenue.
• Operations have been connected to other entities facing legal and financial challenges.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced charges  against two of the leaders involved in HyperFund, an alleged crypto pyramid scheme that raised over $1.7 billion.

Both Sam Lee and Brenda Chunga were charged for their involvement. Chunga, aka Bitcoin Beautee, settled with the SEC over the fraud and unregistered offering charges.

SEC Accuses HyperFund of Fraudulent $1.7 Bn Scheme

According to an SEC press release  issued on Monday, Lee and Chunga orchestrated a global scam scheme between June 2020 and early 2022.

The duo promoted HyperFund  as a lucrative venture tied to profitable mining operations. However, the SEC contends that the enterprise was nothing more than a pyramid scheme devoid of genuine revenue sources, accusing Lee and Chunga of either being aware of the deceit or displaying reckless disregard for the truth. The scheme eventually collapsed in 2022, leading to substantial financial losses for the investors involved.

Gurbir S. Grewal, director of the SEC’s division of enforcement, commented :

“This case illustrates yet again how noncompliance in the crypto space facilitates schemes where promoters capitalize on the promise of easy money, without providing the detailed investor protection disclosures required by the registration provisions of the federal securities laws.”

Maryland Prosecutors File Charges

Parallel to the SEC’s civil charges, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland initiated criminal proceedings against the duo. Chunga has responded  to the allegations by conceding to a plea of guilty on counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud. Chunga has consented  to resolve the SEC’s charges and is set to reimburse funds and incur civil penalties, the exact sums of which will be determined by the court.

HyperFund is identified as a minor entity within a network of dubious enterprises, which also include HyperCapital, HyperVerse, and HyperTech.

Recently, the U.S. authorities mandated the arrest and formal indictment of Rodney Burton  for misappropriating upwards of $7 million via a deceitful investment scheme associated with HyperVerse.

The founders of HyperTech, including Lee and Ryan Xu, are recognized for founding Bitcoin Blockchain Global in Australia, a company currently grappling with a substantial debt load estimated at $58 million.

Crypto Ponzi Schemes

The SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy issued an investor alert  in 2013 that highlights common red flags that investors should watch out for when investing.

“We are concerned that the rising use of virtual currencies in the global marketplace may entice fraudsters to lure investors into Ponzi and other schemes in which these currencies are used to facilitate fraudulent, or simply fabricated, investments or transactions.”

This early iteration of the SEC’s warnings about cryptocurrencies provides an early insight into the concerns around cryptocurrencies and the potential for bad actors to manipulate investors. Since then, cryptocurrency-related scams  and Ponzi schemes have become considerably more complex.

Regulators are being forced to react to increasingly sophisticated scams, and with a lack of coherent regulation in place, the legal outcomes of crypto-related court cases will set precedents for the development of future regulation.

About the Author

Teuta Franjkovic

Teuta is a seasoned writer and editor with more than 15 years of experience. She has expertise in covering macroeconomics and technology as well as the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries. She has worked for several publications as a journalist and editor, including Forbes, Bloomberg, CoinTelegraph, Coin Rivet, CoinSpeaker, VRWorld and Arcane Bear. Teuta began her professional career in 2005, working as a lifestyle writer at Cosmopolitan in Croatia. From there, she branched out to several other publications, covering mainly business and the economy. She then turned her attention to the world of cryptocurrency and blockchain, believing that crypto is among the most important inventions in the history of humanity. Her involvement in fintech began in 2014 and she has since lent her expertise in writing, editing and gathering information about the world of crypto, blockchain, NFTs and Web3. An all-round news hound, mentor, editor, and writer, Teuta enjoys teamwork and good communication. She holds a WSET2 diploma and has a thing for chablis, punkrock music and shoes. She also holds a double MA in Political science and Entrepreneurship.

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