Florida man arrested in alleged $328M crypto ponzi scheme

CoinDesk

by Olivier Acuna

February 26, 2026

AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary

A Florida man named Christopher Alexander Delgado has been arrested on charges of running a $328 million cryptocurrency-linked Ponzi scheme. Federal prosecutors allege that Delgado, serving as president and CEO of Goliath Ventures (formerly Gen-Z Venture Firm), raised hundreds of millions of dollars from investors by promising guaranteed monthly returns of 3% to 8%. Instead of investing the funds as promised in crypto liquidity pools, Delgado allegedly used new investor money to pay earlier backers and meet withdrawal requests. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in federal prison. The case highlights the growing prevalence of crypto-related Ponzi schemes, which have surged globally, with $6.1 billion in victim funds reported in 2025 alone—a 49% increase from the previous year. Delgado reportedly employed a variety of tactics to build credibility, including personal referrals, luxury events, charitable sponsorships, and fabricated investment portals showing consistent gains. Investigators claim that most of the investor funds were not placed into liquidity pools, with only $1.5 million traced to Uniswap. This case underscores the risks associated with high-yield crypto investments and the importance of verifying claims made by crypto platforms. The arrest also raises questions about the credibility of crypto marketing strategies and the need for stronger regulatory oversight in the cryptocurrency space. For victims of such schemes, law enforcement is urging them to come forward as the investigation continues.

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Originally published on CoinDesk on 2/26/2026