Australian authorities have charged Brendan Gunn, the brother of breakdancer Raygun, for his purported function in a crypto-related fraud scheme.
The Australian Securities and Investments Fee (ASIC) introduced that Gunn is dealing with one rely of coping with cash suspected to be the proceeds of crime.
The Alleged Unlawful Operations
Based on a March 5 assertion, Gunn reportedly dealt with two financial institution cheques containing $113,000 from three traders who had transferred funds for cryptocurrency conversion.
ASIC recognized Gunn as a director of Mormarkets Pty Ltd, which facilitated crypto transactions and abroad investments. The regulator claims that he repeatedly opened financial institution accounts underneath the corporate’s title to obtain and switch funds, regardless of a number of closures on account of fraud considerations. ASIC additionally said that banks had warned him about these points, however he continued working.
Fee Chair Joe Longo highlighted that the company “continues to prioritise rip-off prevention and detection exercise to guard shoppers.” He added that it might proceed collaborating with worldwide legislation enforcement organizations, investigating misconduct, and taking acceptable motion when vital.
The accused appeared in courtroom on March 4 and is scheduled to return on April 29. If convicted, he may resist three years in jail, a advantageous of $23,814, or each.
Rachael “Raygun” Gunn is an Australian breakdancer whose 2024 Olympic efficiency went viral. Whereas she later withdrew from the competitors, her routine brought on on-line dialogue and have become the topic of a number of memes.
Australian Regulators Intensify Crypto Crackdown
This isn’t the primary time ASIC has taken enforcement actions within the business. The company beforehand launched an investigation into Bit Commerce, the operator of Kraken’s Australian change, accusing the agency of failing to satisfy monetary compliance requirements by providing an unauthorized margin lending product.
The monetary watchdog has additionally pursued authorized motion towards John Bigatton, a key promoter of the BitConnect Ponzi scheme, which promised excessive returns earlier than abruptly shutting down.
This crackdown comes as Australian regulators enhance their oversight of crypto-related actions. In December, AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas introduced that the anti-money laundering company would shift its focus towards the crypto sector in 2025. The initiative significantly targets crypto ATM suppliers suspected of violating monetary legal guidelines.
“This is step one in AUSTRAC’s focus to cut back the felony use of cryptocurrency in Australia. We shall be specializing in this business over the course of subsequent yr,” stated the company.
In the meantime, ASIC has been engaged on refining its regulatory strategy to digital belongings. In December, it launched consultations with business stakeholders to replace its crypto pointers, together with clarifying when such belongings fall underneath current monetary frameworks.
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