US CFTC Accuses Cash FX Group of $950 Million Ponzi Scheme, Participants Lost at Least $406 Million

Odaily News: The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed a lawsuit against Cash FX Group S.A. and its CEO Huascar Jose Lopez Castillo, The Conversion Pros Inc. and its CEO Ronald Pope, and Justin Halladay, alleging that the defendants operated a multi-level marketing Ponzi scheme, raising over $950 million from the public, including in the United States, purportedly for retail forex contract trading.

The CFTC stated that the defendants falsely claimed funds were traded by professional traders, proprietary algorithms, and AI, and promised returns of up to 15% per week; in reality, Cash FX conducted only minimal forex trading, and nearly all participant funds were misappropriated, with funds from new participants used to pay fictitious trading profits to other participants, while millions of dollars were paid to the defendants. The CFTC also stated that Cash FX provided participants with false account statements to maintain the illusion of high trading returns, and participants lost at least $406 million. The CFTC is seeking restitution, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, civil monetary penalties, trading and registration bans, and permanent injunctions against the defendants.