The videographer abused the trust of his subscribers to extract money from them under the guise of banking investment. If 40 complaints have been filed, the total number of victims could number more than 300 people, for damages amounting to 4 million euros.
On the Internet, it answered to the name of Crypto Gouv before disappearing overnight. Specialized in financial investments, and especially in cryptocurrency, he had retained, without ever revealing his real identity, an audience of more than 4000 people with whom he exchanged regularly via the Telegram or Discord networks. It is thanks to this that his scam was able to be built.
One thing led to another, Crypto Gouv succeeded in creating a strong bond of trust in its community regarding its financial investment skills. Thus, he began to offer his subscribers to create small groups (or pools) in order to invest together. With its promise of juicy return on investment, many follow it and commit money, a lot of money for some: “Investors have placed a hundred euros, others several tens of thousands of euros”confides the plaintiffs’ lawyer, master Jérémy Asta-Vola to France Inter.
Gone as fast as he came
It was on July 9 that the mask fell. Crypto Gouv announces on video, shamelessly, to leave with all the funds: “It’s as if you had entrusted a sum to a financial investment adviser and that he simply left with your money”, explains Me Asta-Vola. In a final tutorial, now unavailable, he explains, without any scruple, the complete operation of his scam. He even goes so far as to mention the 5-year prison sentence he faces for this scam. France Inter reveals that the damages are estimated at around 4 million euros.
Still according to France Inter sources, an investigation was opened in mid-July and entrusted to the gendarmes of the capital’s research section. In total, around forty complaints have been filed, a very small number compared to the estimated 300 victims. A self-help discussion for potential victims of the Crypto Gov scam has emerged on the Discord app. Faced with this kind of mishap, the cryptocurrency communities are working on prevention around scams. Master Asta-Vola notes that“there is a mass audience that is interested in these practices. Inevitably, some malicious people see it as an opportunity. This type of scam is on the increase.” On France Inter, the lawyer recommends to those who would be interested in cryptocurrency to remain vigilant, to learn as much as possible and to invest only the money that they would be able to lose.