Florida Investor Loses $860K in Crypto Trading School Scam

A Florida man lost $860,000 of his life savings after enrolling in a fraudulent cryptocurrency trading school operated by Alpha Stock Investment Training Center (ASITC) and a phantom exchange called CoinBridge. The scheme, which promised quick profits through 'signal trading,' instead siphoned funds into the scammers' own platform.

Court documents reveal the victim, Brian Firestone, was lured by initial small wins—a $500 'gift' that purportedly grew to $55,000—before investing larger sums. At its peak, his account balance displayed $2 million, but withdrawals proved impossible. The operation collapsed after he wired $470,000 from his bank and borrowed $330,000 from ASITC.

The case underscores the risks of unverified crypto education programs. 'No real exchange existed,' investigators noted. Both ASITC and CoinBridge Leveraged trust-building tactics like fabricated success metrics before disappearing with investor funds.