Cheri Marks

Co-Owner of Mirror Trading International Opposes Plans to Liquidate the Bitcoin Scam Outfit

18/06/2021 by Idelto Editor

In the latest twist to the Mirror Trading International liquidation saga, Clynton Marks, a co-owner of the bitcoin Ponzi outfit, has opposed attempts to have a court grant a final liquidation order. Marks, who reportedly owned 50% of MTI, argues that the liquidation application was “premature” and that liquidators may “not have the members’ best interests at heart.”

The Argument Against Liquidation

As explained in a Mybroadband report, Marks, who recently battled a team of MTI liquidators in a South African court, argues that the liquidation notification process was not properly carried out. Marks asserts that he and his wife, Cheri Marks (Head of Communications for MTI), were supposed to be served with the notice.

In addition, the MTI co-founder says that the recovery of 1,200 bitcoins belonging to MTI from FX Choice nullifies the liquidators’ insolvency argument. In their statement to Mybroadband, the Markses added:

MTI is a solvent company and any chance of members (however slight) to get any relief would not come from the liquidation process but rather from finding Johann (Steynberg) and rightfully encouraging him to rectify whatever wrongs he has allegedly committed. Further to this, it is our belief there are other options more suitable to result in possibly achieving relief for MTI members.

The statement also suggests that if this liquidation process were to proceed “members would be severely prejudiced.”

Judgment Reserved

Meanwhile, the report says its sources inside the liquidators’ legal team are confident that a final liquidation order will be granted. The report also reveals that the court has reserved judgment in the case for the time being, which pits the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and court-appointed liquidators against parties that are opposed to the dissolution of the company.

MTI, which was ranked as the biggest bitcoin scam of 2020 by a blockchain analysis firm, collapsed after its CEO Johann Steynberg disappeared with investors’ funds in December 2020. The collapse subsequently forced disgruntled investors to initiate liquidation proceedings against MTI and Steynberg.

Do believe liquidation to be the best option for MTI investors? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

South African Court Submissions Expose Lies and Deceptive Tactics Used to Perpetuate MTI Bitcoin Ponzi Scheme

10/06/2021 by Idelto Editor

New submissions by a South African regulator, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) and liquidators have exposed the web of lies and deceptive tactics that were used by Mirror Trading International (MTI) CEO Johann Steynberg and others to perpetuate the Ponzi scheme.

Undeclared Losses

In its report filed with the South African court, the regulator also exposes the true extent of losses that were incurred by the bitcoin investment company. For instance, in what the FSCA calls the “first period,” MTI had a “total of nearly 51 bitcoin (that) were deposited with Belize-based forex broker FXChoice, but 22 — or 43% — of these coins were lost by the traders.” However, at this point there was “no multi-level marketing involved.”

Nevertheless, this would change in the second period “when Steynberg purportedly introduced a computerized trading bot” that falsely guaranteed returns of 10% each day. The report explained:

FX Choice reported to the FSCA that 1,846 bitcoin were deposited with it between January and June 2020, but of this 566 bitcoin (about 30%) were lost. These trading results were completely at odds with the wild claims of success being promoted on social media by MTI. FX Choice subsequently froze the remaining 1,280 bitcoin.

In the last period, Steynberg claimed all investors’ bitcoin had been transferred to a new broker, Trade 300. Still, when the FSCA investigated this claim, “it concluded that Trade 300 was a fraudulent creation of Steynberg’s and does not exist as a bona fide brokerage,” according to a report by Moneyweb.

MTI Shareholding Structure

Meanwhile, MTI liquidators have similarly submitted “evidence” that exposes the bitcoin investment company’s actual shareholding structure. The liquidators’ position is paraphrased by the Moneyweb report: “Based on the evidence provided by the liquidators, MTI was owned 50-50 by Steynberg and Clynton Marks, who would divvy up 10% of the profits between them every Monday.”

However, the liquidators still concede that Steynberg seems to have been the only individual in MTI dealing with a broker in Belize and an India-based server team. “He would supply trading results from the broker to the server team for capture into the back-office system,” the report notes.

Nepotism Allegations

In the meantime, another director of MTI, Cheri Marks, is facing accusations of using her position in the organization to reward her associates. For instance, Marks is accused of appointing Monica Coetzee to the position of marketing director despite her lack of required qualifications. In addition, Marks is accused of bumping Coetzee’s salary from just over $1000 per month to one BTC per month.

Following these proceedings, a Western Cape High Court is now expected to hear arguments by those that want a final liquidation to be granted and those against it. According to a report, these proceedings are scheduled to be heard in the third week of June 2021.

What are your thoughts on the latest revelations about MTI’s huge losses and its shareholding structure? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

South African Regulator Raids Home of Key Members of an Alleged Crypto Ponzi Scheme

27/10/2020 by Idelto Editor

A South African regulator along with the country’s police have reportedly seized electronics devices and computers belonging to two principal members of Mirror Trading International (MTI), an alleged bitcoin Ponzi scheme. The raid at Clynton and Cheri Marks’ home on October 26 was conducted by Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) officials who are looking for proof of trades and bitcoin balances.

MTI Remains Defiant

The raid comes after the South African regulator previously advised MTI clients to withdraw funds after determining that the company did not have the required operating license.

However, according to a report by Global Crypto that cites a Telegram message sent to MTI members, the defiant sender says “it will be business as usual” while the investment company’s lawyers “are onto this.” The sender adds:

The news (media) will sensationalize this so I would like to pre-warn everyone. MTI will be releasing a video later today or tomorrow. More attacks will happen. This is just to let you know MTI is not going anywhere.

Similarly, a voice message attributed to Cheri Marks confirms the raid by FSCA officers who were reportedly accompanied by 15 South Police Service officers. Still, Marks asserts that the raid “changes nothing” and that scheduled customer withdrawals will continue.

The MTI team has repeatedly denied allegations against their company and they blame the media of trying to destroy a business that is “working to improve the lives.” Yet, despite the denials, international and domestic organizations are adamant that MTI is operating outside and that it is possibly a Ponzi scheme.

Another Ponzi Allegation

Just recently, one South African website that tracks complex Ponzi schemes as well as individuals running them, added MTI to its list of well-known scams. In its assessment, dishonest.co.za flags for MTI making claims that it has had “only one negative trading day since its launch.”

Panning the unrealistic claim, the website says “anyone with basic trading experience knows that it is extremely difficult to avoid losses; almost impossible.” Similarly, the MTI claims that it takes 10% of the day’s trading profits are also flagged.

Meanwhile, on one South African discussion forum, members discuss the MTI’s continuing troubles with regulators and how the MTI is trying in vain to dismiss the litany of allegations. One member of the forum points to how Cheri Marks’ repeated assurance that “everything is fine” has been used by other scammers in the past before they disappeared. The member John Tempus says:

“Bitconnect also stated, ‘EVERYTHING IS FINE GUYS’ and then overnight it went to the gutter.”

In her audio message, Cheri Marks insists everything is going as normal and while promising that she and Clynton would soon return online to engage with members. Cheri implies in the audio that their mobile had been seized by FSCA officials.

At the time of writing, the MTI team had not put up the promised video that gives their version of events.

What do you think of MTI’s latest challenge? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.

The post South African Regulator Raids Home of Key Members of an Alleged Crypto Ponzi Scheme appeared first on Bitcoin News.

Leaked Data Outs Bitcoin Investment Company as Scam: Founders Deny the Allegations

22/09/2020 by Idelto Editor

A South African group calling itself “Anonymous ZA” has published fresh information that seemingly supports long-standing allegations that Mirror Trading International (MTI), an ostensible bitcoin investment company, is running a multi-level marketing scam. The new information, which was reportedly obtained after a breach of MTI internal systems, shows that the investment company is “entirely structured around a tree/pyramid scheme.”

According to a report, the leaked data suggests that MTI has a practice of distinguishing between “normal members and founder members.”

Assessing the data, Anonymous ZA says it would appear that while “deposits made by founder members are not easily traceable yet they (founders) seemingly get better ROI than regular members.” The data also shows that “founder members are also at the top of the pyramid scheme and earn more money from their binary bonuses than ROI or any other source.”

Perhaps in revelations that may lend credence to allegations often leveled against MTI, the report quoting Anonymous ZA says:

“The database further shows payouts of $ 86.25 million (8,171.6 BTC) to normal members, with $21.4 million (2,036.5 BTC) in the form of bonuses for referring new members. Payouts to founding members amount to $18.45 million (1,744 BTC).”

The report confirms that members are paid to recruit new members but it fails to provide the number of founding members.

Earlier in July, the Texas State Securities Board (TSSB) accused MTI of running a multi-level marketing scam as well, as it operated in the state of Texas without a license. The TSSB subsequently issued a cease and desist order against MTI and some of its employees. Afterward, the South African regulator, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) issued its own public statement which repeats allegations made by TSSB. However, the FSCA statement goes further by asking investors to withdraw their funds from MTI.

Anonymous ZA closes its statement in which it says “unless MTI can display or prove control of a Bitcoin wallet, or another storage facility to the value 17k BTC, it will stand by its view that: MTI is a Ponzi scheme.”

Meanwhile, following the latest revelations, the MTI management moved to confirm the breach in a fiery response. Cheri Marks, one of MTI’s founding members and spokesperson, suggests a criminal offense was committed by those behind the breach which occurred September 18. Marks then goes on to threaten legal action against the perpetrators as well those publishing stories based the illegally obtained information:

Yes, we had a security breach of our administration portal. Yes it was a criminal act. Yes we will be pressing charges and everyone publishing the personal information illegally obtained we will refer to our legal council.

Marks then attacks assumptions that MTI had stopped trading claiming that “in August over 34,000 withdrawals were effected to the tune of 5,933 bitcoin without so much as a hiccup.”

Throughout the rant, Marks challenges the media to name a single disgruntled investor out of the “170,000 that are growing their bitcoin with MTI.”

Still, Marks fails to adequately deal with concerns that founders are possibly getting larger payouts than the rest of investors. Instead, Marks chooses to boast about her status as founder saying:

“The fact that MTI has founder members is nothing new. Yes there is an extra profit share for them and this does not affect the company or the members in any way, nor is it a state secret.”

Throughout the seventeen-minute video, Marks complains of media bias and the “intention to slander, not to provide a decent and informed view of MTI, its founders, shareholders or members.”

Marks also briefly discusses MTI’s interactions with FSCA but fails to provide a satisfactory answer to why the regulator still went ahead and asked investors to withdraw funds even after the MTI “CEO opened our live trading account and BTC balance for the FSCA to see.”

Surprisingly, just after the encounter with FSCA, the investment company made the decision to invest in bitcoin only. Critics argue the move was intended to remove MTI from the tutelage of regulators. Meanwhile, reports say the FSCA has been made aware of the data leak and is looking into it.

What are your thoughts about the latest revelations on the MTI scam? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

The post Leaked Data Outs Bitcoin Investment Company as Scam: Founders Deny the Allegations appeared first on Bitcoin News.