Ex-Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky Begins 12-Year Prison Sentence Following Fraud Conviction
Alex Mashinsky, former CEO of the collapsed cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius, reported to a minimum-security federal prison in Otisville, New York, to serve a 12-year sentence. His surrender marks the culmination of a legal saga that began with Celsius's 2022 bankruptcy and his subsequent guilty plea to felony fraud charges in December 2024.
Mashinsky admitted to misleading investors about Celsius's Earn Program, which contributed to billions in losses. The platform's downfall triggered one of crypto's most high-profile bankruptcies, with creditors only beginning to recover $3 billion in assets this year. Otisville's white-collar inmate population reflects the non-violent nature of his financial crimes.