Juan Tacuri, aged 46 and hailing from Florida, confessed to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the global crypto Ponzi scheme Forcount. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, Tacuri was recognized as one of the most effective promoters of the scheme, profiting substantially, with millions of dollars earned through his involvement. He faces a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years and is slated for sentencing on September 24.
In his admission of guilt, Tacuri has agreed to surrender nearly $4 million in victim funds and properties acquired through these illicit means.
Forcount Lured Victims Through Lavish Expos
Forcount underwent a rebranding later on, transforming into Weltsys, with a focus on targeting Spanish-speaking populations. This entity presented itself as a crypto mining and trading firm, enticing investors with promises of substantial profits from crypto investment products.
Juan Tacuri, reportedly clad in designer attire, traversed the United States, making appearances at lavish expos where he would charm attendees into investing in the schemes, including those in the Southern District of New York.
At these grand events, Tacuri painted a picture of “financial freedom” through investment and boasted about his own earnings. The ambiance was deliberately crafted to be lively and thrilling, intended to stir up excitement among potential investors.
Funds were gathered from victims through various means such as cash, checks, wire transfers, and cryptocurrencies, all of which were then channeled into the Forcount scheme via the purchase of investment products.
Victims were granted access to an online portal to track the purported returns on their investments. However, the majority found themselves unable to withdraw any profits, ultimately losing their entire investments.
Victim Funds Spent on Lavish Lifestyle
“Juan Tacuri is now facing the consequences for exploiting retail investors and peddling a fraudulent investment scheme,” stated U.S. Attorney Damian Williams.
“Tacuri amassed millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims, funds they could ill afford to lose, only to squander it on extravagant luxuries and real estate. Our office remains steadfast in our pursuit of Ponzi schemers like Tacuri, especially when they prey on hardworking individuals already facing financial hardship,” Williams affirmed.