DOJ Brings 10 Alleged Crypto Market Manipulators to Oakland Court
Ten individuals are charged with crypto market manipulation, with three extradited from Singapore to face court in Oakland.Summary
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has brought charges against ten foreign nationals linked to four crypto market-maker companies – Gotbit, Vortex, Antier, and Contrarian – for alleged wash trading and market manipulation. Three executives, Gleb Gora (Vortex CEO), Manu Singh (Contrarian CEO), and Vasu Sharma (Contrarian employee), were extradited from Singapore and appeared in federal court in Oakland. The DOJ alleges these schemes, dating back to 2018, involved inflating token prices and trading volumes to create a false impression of market activity. This case builds upon earlier actions taken in October 2024, March 2025, August 2025, and September 2025, including a previous indictment against Gotbit and a parallel investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) into “market-manipulation‑as‑a‑service.” CLS Global also recently pleaded guilty to manipulating trading in an FBI-created token, NexFundAI. Prosecutors emphasize that wash trading remains a significant issue in the crypto market, potentially misleading investors.
(Source：Cointelegraph)