Do Kwon’s Latest Move Against U.S. SEC Could Be Game Changing, But Is It Enough?

Pratik Bhuyan
April 24, 2023
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do kwon

According to recent court documents, the attorneys for Do Kwon, the founder of the defunct cryptocurrency issuer Terraform Labs, have asked a United States court to dismiss charges levied against him by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This comes after the legal team representing Kwon alleged that the regulatory body lacked the legal jurisdiction to purse their lawsuit.

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Do Kwon’s Legal Tussle

U.S. law enforcement accused Kwon of defrauding cryptocurrency investors in a 12-page indictment that was made public later last month. According to the lawsuit Kwon deceived “individuals about aspects of the Terra blockchain, including its technology and the extent to which it had been adopted by users.”

Read More: Ripple Moving Out Of U.S. After Coinbase CEO Drops Hint?

However, in response, Kwon’s attorneys argued that the SEC was unable to prove that it had personal jurisdiction over Kwon because the products referenced by the regulator were “available to the world and not directed at persons in the United States.” The allegations that have been hurled against them are categorically refuted throughout the 47-page report.

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Terra Calls UST A Currency

In addition, the biggest ace in the hole is the UST stablecoin, which the Kwon legal team contends is a currency and not a security. As a result, the Kwon team concludes that the collapse of the Terra ecosystem falls outside of its jurisdiction. While the SEC argues that UST is a security because it could be used to buy LUNA, the Kwon team was quoted as saying:

The SEC has not previously asserted that something is a security merely because it can be used to buy something else the SEC calls a security.

Although this has come as a shocker to the financial watchdog, it will still be an uphill task for Kwon’s lawyers to prove that UST is in fact a currency and not an unregistered crypto security as deemed by the regulators.

Kwon is still being investigated for criminal fraud by authorities in the United States, and in South Korea, as he’s currently accused of violating laws governing financial markets. Both nations have put forward requests to have the former executive extradited to their jurisdictions so that they can initiate rightful legal proceedings.

In the wake of this news, the price of LUNA gained by 3.11% in the past 1 hour in contrast to an increase of 2.07% recorded over the past 24 hours. It is currently exchanging hands at $1.38 at the time of writing.

Also Read: Binance.US Sparks Optimism As It Lists Floki (FLOKI), Is A Meme Season In The Making?

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Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
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Why Trust CoinGape

CoinGape has covered the cryptocurrency industry since 2017, aiming to provide informative insights Read more…to our readers. Our journal analysts bring years of experience in market analysis and blockchain technology to ensure factual accuracy and balanced reporting. By following our Editorial Policy, our writers verify every source, fact-check each story, rely on reputable sources, and attribute quotes and media correctly. We also follow a rigorous Review Methodology when evaluating exchanges and tools. From emerging blockchain projects and coin launches to industry events and technical developments, we cover all facets of the digital asset space with unwavering commitment to timely, relevant information.

About Author
About Author
Pratik has been a crypto evangelist since 2016 & been through almost all that crypto has to offer. Be it the ICO boom, bear markets of 2018, Bitcoin halving to till now - he has seen it all.
Investment disclaimer: The content reflects the author’s personal views and current market conditions. Please conduct your own research before investing in cryptocurrencies, as neither the author nor the publication is responsible for any financial losses.
Ad Disclosure: This site may feature sponsored content and affiliate links. All advertisements are clearly labeled, and ad partners have no influence over our editorial content.