Former Celsius CEO Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Crypto Fraud
Alex Mashinsky, the ex-CEO of collapsed crypto lender Celsius, received a 12-year prison sentence for orchestrating a fraud scheme that led to billions in investor losses. U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl delivered the landmark verdict in Manhattan, marking one of the harshest penalties stemming from the 2022 crypto market crash.
Mashinsky pleaded guilty in December to two counts of fraud after prosecutors accused him of deliberately misrepresenting Celsius’ financial health and manipulating its CEL token. Federal authorities had initially sought a 20-year term, calling it necessary justice for victims of the platform’s $4.7 billion downfall.