Mutant Ape Planet NFT Developer Arrested 

Mutant Ape Planet NFT Developer Arrested With Fraud Charges

January 06, 2023 Story: Divya Sinha

The developer of the Mutant Ape Planet NFT collection has been arrested.

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The developer’s name is Aurelien Michel. He is a French national residing in the UAE and was arrested last night at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

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He has been charged with fraud for allegedly perpetrating a $2.9 million rug pull.

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According to the complaint filed on January 3, Michel and other unnamed defendants pitched the Mutant Ape Planet NFT to potential buyers promising a number of rewards and benefits.

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After NFTs were sold, developers transferred nearly $3 million to other wallets including those under Michel’s control.

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Michel admitted to the community through Discord that he had perpetrated a rug pull, saying “we never intended to rug but the community went way too toxic.”

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Thomas Fattorusso, IRS-CI, said that Michel can no longer blame the NFT community for his criminal behaviour and added that arrest means he will now face the consequences of his own actions.

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