Chinese-St. Kitts dual nationality man sentenced to 20 years for $73 million cryptocurrency scam

CycleProphet · 2026-02-10T00:51:16+00:00

Darren Lee was sentenced to 20 years in prison for involvement in cryptocurrency investment scams but escaped in 2025. Lee and his accomplices deceived victims into investing in fake platforms through social media, defrauding $73.6 million. This case is part of the U.S. crackdown on scams, with eight co-conspirators already pleading guilty.

CycleProphet

2026-02-10 00:51:16

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Deep Tide TechFlow News, February 10th, according to official reports, Darren Lee (42 years old) was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison in the United States for involvement in an international cryptocurrency investment scam. The man cut off electronic monitoring devices and escaped in December 2025 and is still at large.

Lee admitted to contacting victims through social media and dating apps, building trust before inducing them to invest in fake cryptocurrency platforms, totaling at least $73.6 million in fraud. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Secret Service, participated in the investigation. This is the latest achievement in the U.S. Department of Justice’s efforts to crack down on global scam centers.

Eight co-conspirators have pleaded guilty in this case, and Lee is the first defendant directly involved in receiving victims’ funds to be sentenced.

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