SafeMoon CEO Gets 8 Years in Prison for Crypto Fraud Scheme

In brief

• SafeMoon CEO Braden Karony was sentenced to 100 months in prison for his role in a crypto fraud scheme surrounding the SFM token.
• Karony was also ordered to forfeit $7.5 million for his crimes.
• One co-conspirator is awaiting sentencing, while another is still at large.

SafeMoon CEO Braden John Karony was sentenced to 100 months in prison Tuesday by District Judge Eric Komitee of the Eastern District of New York for his role in a scheme that defrauded investors in the SafeMoon (SFM) token.  Karony, who could have faced up to 45 years in prison, was convicted last May on conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. In addition to the sentence, Karony was ordered to forfeit $7.5 million, with victim restitution still to be determined. His defense noted Karony’s still-developing brain, his parents’ service to the country, and his kindness, according to courtroom reporting from Inner City Press. The pleading apparently landed on deaf ears, though his sentence—8 years and 4 months—falls short of the government’s requested 12-year sentence for his crimes.  

“Karony lied to investors from all walks of life—including military veterans and hard working-Americans—and defrauded thousands of victims in order to buy mansions, sports cars, and custom trucks,” stated United States Attorney Joseph Nocella, in a statement. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that there are significant consequences for financial crimes.”  SafeMoon grew to around an $8 billion market cap in 2021 using a 10% transaction tax mechanic designed to benefit holders. From that tax, half was designed to automatically redeploy to token holders, while the other half was supposed to enter liquidity pools to strengthen trading of the asset.  But Karony was found to have diverted and misappropriated funds designed for those liquidity pools, defrauding investors in the token by maintaining access to what they thought were “locked” tokens. “He deceived investors, using their funds to lavishly expand his portfolio with million-dollar homes and luxury cars,” IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis said in a statement. “By employing complex transactions to obscure the movement of these illicit proceeds, Karony acquired over $9 million in crypto assets.”

Karony and his co-conspirator Thomas Smith were originally charged in 2023 and hit with a civil suit from the SEC as well. Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, and is awaiting sentencing. A third alleged co-conspirator, Kyle Nagy, remains at large according to the United States Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York.