The Brazilian police have detained the likely creators of the fraudulent scheme for investing in cryptocurrencies GAS Consultoria.
The operation, called “Operação Betka”, took place in Rio de Janeiro and was the fourth stage of Operation Cryptos, during which the head of GAS Consultoria, Glaidson Acácio dos Santos, was arrested last August.
GAS Consultoria, headquartered in the popular resort of Cabo Frio, was founded by a former waiter and promised clients 10% or more per year of income from investing in cryptocurrencies. However, during an inspection by government agencies on the fact of tax evasion, it turned out that the declared activity was a cover for a Ponzi scheme and a financial pyramid.
At the initiative of the tax authorities, the police and the Ministry of Public Affairs, as part of Operation Cryptos, Gladeson Acasio dos Santos was placed under arrest, and about 38 billion Brazilian reals were blocked in the accounts of GAS Consultoria.
The object of the fourth stage of the police operation was the detention of several more defendants in a criminal case, whose names were not disclosed in the interests of the investigation. However, journalists became aware of the order and detention of Eliane Medeiros, who ran the CointradeCx brokerage company.
In 2018, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation recognized the activities of a group of Russian and foreign companies under the single Cashbury brand as a financial pyramid. According to the regulator, the Cashbury group of companies attracted fiat and cryptocurrencies from retail investors, but did not carry out real economic activity. A year later, NovaChain trading platform, which offered clients the opportunity to receive passive income from algorithmic cryptocurrency trading, stopped paying money to its depositors.
