DOJ Seeks 20-Year Prison Term for Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky in $4.7B Fraud Case
The U.S. Department of Justice has demanded a 20-year sentence for Alex Mashinsky, former CEO of collapsed crypto lender Celsius, labeling his actions as a deliberate fraud rather than market misfortune. Prosecutors allege Mashinsky orchestrated a multi-year scheme that left investors unable to access $4.7 billion in cryptocurrency when withdrawals were frozen in June 2022.
Court documents reveal Mashinsky admitted to $550 million in crypto fraud, personally profiting $48 million through what the DOJ describes as ’self-dealing’ practices. The sentencing memorandum emphasizes the calculated nature of the deception, which impacted thousands of Celsius customers.