4 ms·

I only skimmed through the article, but if I understood correctly the scammers made $23m, now have to repay $3.3m (which probably will never happen) and some of

I only skimmed through the article, but if I understood correctly the scammers made $23m, now have to repay $3.3m (which probably will never happen) and some of their assets were taken. They were given 4 and 6 year prison sentences (which might be cut short for good conduct I assume). So in 3 years these blokes come out, with probably ~5m-10m stashed away? Not a bad ROI :(.

paulgb 3y ago
> In addition to the jail time, both convicts had to forfeit multiple possessions related to their crimes, including bank accounts, several pieces of real estate, and cars. Sounds like the money was already spent.
- marginallen 3y ago
  [dead]
- iudqnolq 3y ago
  The sidekick got around 6M and forfeited around 2M [1] [1] From the plea agreement at https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/adrev-mediamuv-plea-agreement-fernandez-aug-2023.pdf https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/... . Add up bank accounts, blue book car value, and redfin estimate of the house. I didn't include the Sonoran Hills parcel because it didn't have a valuation.
rtkwe 3y ago
Generally any assets available are seized so they’ll have to successfully hide them from the court.
- ZoomerCretin 3y ago
  Finally, a real world use case for crypto.
  - yuliyp 3y ago
    I think people knew the crime real world use case for crypto from the beginning.
- paulpauper 3y ago
  I am guessing that as part of the plea deal they would have to account for all of it. Just having assets go 'missing' would not fly.
qingcharles 3y ago
This was federal court in the USA, so they must serve a minimum of 85% of their sentence to be eligible for release. You have to do something crazy while locked up to go over the 85%. Prison is no joke at any level, but they will be in a minimum "camp" I assume.
- paulpauper 3y ago
  yeah, first-time non-violent offenders are typically sent to camps for sentences under 10 years.
that_guy_iain 3y ago
Problem is they‘re going to be doing audits constantly when you get out to recover the money. The lawyers will never give up. Buy a house and they‘ll goto court to get the house. Buy a car same deal if new and worth a few thousand second hand. Go on a bunch of holidays get audited by IRS since you‘re meant to be broke, is that unreported income?
- paulpauper 3y ago
  This is easy to bypass. Such as move to another country, use cash, use corporations, use aliases, etc.
  - that_guy_iain 3y ago
    Using cash would be found. forsensic accountants are a thing. Moving country only works if you goto a country with no extradition. Corporations and aliases just get you some nice fraud charges.
ge96 3y ago
I think it's funny the mindset of a scammer. I could do the things being done here as well (technically capable) but I don't want to. As in bots that automate mass production of garbage content, voice overs, stolen content, etc... and just play numbers/wait till they're reported.
paulpauper 3y ago
I am guessing that as part of the plea deal they had to account for all of the money.

paulgb 3y ago

> In addition to the jail time, both convicts had to forfeit multiple possessions related to their crimes, including bank accounts, several pieces of real estate, and cars. Sounds like the money was already spent.

marginallen 3y ago
[dead]
iudqnolq 3y ago
The sidekick got around 6M and forfeited around 2M [1] [1] From the plea agreement at https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/adrev-mediamuv-plea-agreement-fernandez-aug-2023.pdf https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/... . Add up bank accounts, blue book car value, and redfin estimate of the house. I didn't include the Sonoran Hills parcel because it didn't have a valuation.

rtkwe 3y ago

Generally any assets available are seized so they’ll have to successfully hide them from the court.

ZoomerCretin 3y ago
Finally, a real world use case for crypto.
- yuliyp 3y ago
  I think people knew the crime real world use case for crypto from the beginning.
paulpauper 3y ago
I am guessing that as part of the plea deal they would have to account for all of it. Just having assets go 'missing' would not fly.

qingcharles 3y ago

This was federal court in the USA, so they must serve a minimum of 85% of their sentence to be eligible for release. You have to do something crazy while locked up to go over the 85%. Prison is no joke at any level, but they will be in a minimum "camp" I assume.

paulpauper 3y ago
yeah, first-time non-violent offenders are typically sent to camps for sentences under 10 years.

that_guy_iain 3y ago

Problem is they‘re going to be doing audits constantly when you get out to recover the money. The lawyers will never give up. Buy a house and they‘ll goto court to get the house. Buy a car same deal if new and worth a few thousand second hand. Go on a bunch of holidays get audited by IRS since you‘re meant to be broke, is that unreported income?

paulpauper 3y ago
This is easy to bypass. Such as move to another country, use cash, use corporations, use aliases, etc.
- that_guy_iain 3y ago
  Using cash would be found. forsensic accountants are a thing. Moving country only works if you goto a country with no extradition. Corporations and aliases just get you some nice fraud charges.

ge96 3y ago

I think it's funny the mindset of a scammer. I could do the things being done here as well (technically capable) but I don't want to. As in bots that automate mass production of garbage content, voice overs, stolen content, etc... and just play numbers/wait till they're reported.

paulpauper 3y ago

I am guessing that as part of the plea deal they had to account for all of the money.