Ex-Rugby Player Sentenced to 30 Months for $900K Crypto Mining Ponzi Scheme

Shane Donovan Moore, a 37-year-old former semi-professional rugby player, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for orchestrating a fraudulent cryptocurrency mining operation that defrauded over 40 investors. Operating under Quantum Donovan LLC from January 2021 to October 2022, Moore leveraged his rugby connections to solicit funds across multiple states, promising daily returns of 1% from nonexistent mining rigs.

Federal prosecutors revealed Moore diverted nearly $900,000 to personal accounts, funding luxury apartments, designer goods, and travel. The scheme followed classic Ponzi mechanics—early investors received small crypto payouts to maintain credibility while new victims were recruited. The case underscores persistent fraud risks in crypto's frontier markets, where trust-based relationships often override due diligence.