Former Celsius CEO seeks delay in sentencing amid complex legal battle

4 months ago

Lawyers for erstwhile Celsius Network CEO Alex Mashinsky person asked a national justice to postpone his sentencing by 1 month, citing the complexities of the lawsuit and the measurement of worldly requiring review, according to a Feb. 5 tribunal filing.

Mashinsky, who pleaded guilty successful his fraud case, is scheduled to beryllium sentenced connected April 8, but his defence squad is seeking to propulsion that day to May 8 to let further clip for preparation.

His attorneys reason that reviewing the extended presentence probe study (PSR), much than 170 unfortunate interaction statements and his ineligible obligations successful the Celsius bankruptcy lawsuit necessitate further time.

According to the filing:

“The defence respectfully requests a one-month adjournment of Mr. Mashinsky’s sentencing to guarantee that it has capable clip to hole a sentencing submission that accurately presents Mr. Mashinsky’s views connected his discourtesy conduct.”

One-week extension

Mashinsky is besides responding to a 180-page ailment successful an adversary proceeding related to the Celsius bankruptcy, which his attorneys assertion is stretching his quality to hole for sentencing.

The defence said that the authorities agreed to assistance a enactment connected that litigation contempt their petition for it to stay successful spot until aft sentencing.

The prosecution has agreed to a one-week hold for objections to the PSR and its last disclosure but opposes delaying the sentencing day connected the ground that Mashinsky’s petition is premature and that victims of the lawsuit merit finality.

The case, United States v. Mashinsky, involves allegations that the erstwhile Celsius CEO misled investors and defrauded customers earlier the institution collapsed. Mashinsky could look a important situation term.

Judge John G. Koeltl has yet to regularisation connected the request.

Celsius ineligible saga

Mashinsky was arrested successful July 2023 and charged with aggregate counts of securities fraud, commodities fraud, and ligament fraud successful transportation with Celsius Network. He pleaded blameworthy to 2 of the charges and agreed to a sentencing line of up to 30 years successful situation connected Dec. 3, 2024.

Founded successful 2017, Celsius marketed itself arsenic a high-yield crypto lending level that allowed users to gain involvement connected deposited integer assets, sometimes promising returns arsenic precocious arsenic 17%. At its peak, the institution claimed to person billions successful assets nether absorption and millions of users.

However, the steadfast faced increasing scrutiny aft the 2022 crypto marketplace downturn exposed liquidity issues. Celsius halted lawsuit withdrawals successful June 2022 and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy the pursuing month, leaving thousands of customers incapable to entree their funds.

Prosecutors alleged that Mashinsky falsely portrayed Celsius arsenic a harmless and profitable alternate to accepted banks portion concealing the company’s fiscal struggles. They accused him of misusing lawsuit funds to prop up the company’s failing equilibrium expanse and cashing retired millions for himself earlier the collapse.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Federal Trade Commission besides filed parallel civilian charges against him.

The station Former Celsius CEO seeks hold successful sentencing amid analyzable ineligible battle appeared archetypal connected CryptoSlate.

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