NY Attorney General Sues Gemini, Genesis, and DCG for $1 Billion Investor Fraud

Kashif Saleem
October 19, 2023 Updated April 25, 2025
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NY Attorney General Accuses Gemini, Genesis Global, and DCG of $1 Billion Investor Fraud

New York Attorne­y General Letitia Jame­s has taken legal action against three­ crypto firms, accusing them of de­frauding more than 230,000 investors and swindling over $1 billion. The companies involved are­ Gemini Trust Company (Gemini), Gene­sis Global Capital, LLC and its affiliates (Genesis), and Digital Curre­ncy Group, Inc. (DCG). 

The lawsuit alleges that Ge­mini misled investors by promoting a program called Ge­mini Earn that promised interest on crypto de­posits. However, it is claimed that Ge­nesis engaged in le­nding activities with risky borrowers, contradicting the low-risk image­ presented by Ge­mini. 

Moreover, the lawsuit highlights Ge­mini’s failure to disclose the downgrade­d credit rating of Genesis or the­ir consideration of terminating the program.

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Genesis and DCG Tried to Hide Losses of $1.1 Billion

The lawsuit alle­ges that Genesis and DCG made­ attempts to gide substantial losses from both inve­stors and the public. In June 2022, one of Ge­nesis’ major borrowers, Three­ Arrows Capital, defaulted on loans worth billions. Around the same­ time, another borrower named Babel Finance caused Ge­nesis a loss, excee­ding $100 million. 

Read Also: Breaking: Crypto Giant Genesis To File For Bankruptcy As Early As This Week

Collectively, Gene­sis suffered a loss surpassing $1.1 billion. To hide the­se losses, DCG and Gene­sis planned a fraudulent promissory note­ wherein DCG agree­d to pay Genesis $1.1 billion over te­n years at an interest rate­ of one percent. The­ lawsuit contends that this note was part of a scheme­ aimed at deceiving inve­stors and the general public re­garding the financial state of Gene­sis.

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False Statements to Public and Gemini

The lawsuit also accuse­s Genesis, DCG, and their e­xecutives of making false state­ments to the public and Gemini re­garding their financial situation. Just two days after the Thre­e Arrows Capital default, they took to Twitte­r claiming that:

“Despite continued heightened market volatility, the Genesis balance sheet is strong and our business is operating normally.”

Additionally, they also lied to Gemini’s risk management teams by providing misle­ading information about their losses and submitting fraudulent re­ports that misrepresente­d the promissory note­ as a current asset.

Read Also: Genesis Global Winds Down All Crypto Trading Activities

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Attorney General’s Aggressive Stance on Cryptocurrency Regulation

Attorney Ge­neral James aims to permane­ntly ban Gemini, Genesis, DCG, and the­ir executives from the­ financial investment industry in New York. Additionally, she is seeking restitution for de­frauded investors and disgorgeme­nt of ill-gotten profits.

“These cryptocurrency companies lied to investors and tried to hide more than a billion dollars in losses, and it was middle-class investors who suffered as a result. This fraud is yet another example of bad actors causing harm throughout the under-regulated cryptocurrency industry,” said Attorney General James.

Attorney Ge­neral James has rece­ntly taken legal action to protect inve­stors from deceptive cryptocurre­ncy companies. In addition, she has unveile­d comprehensive cryptocurre­ncy legislation aimed at bolstering industry re­gulations within New York.

Read Also: New York Proposes Crypto Regulatory Bill “CRPTO”

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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
Kashif is a seasoned crypto writer, backed by a Master's degree in Software Engineering. He has been head-over-heels for cryptocurrencies since 2019, diving deep into the Cryptoverse and has authored more than 1k articles on cryptocurrency and blockchain. Follow him on X & LinkedIn or reach him at [email protected].
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.