Charges were filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York against three individuals in connection with a 2021 NFT scam known as Evolved Apes. The Evolved Apes project, a collection of 10,000 unique NFTs, attracted investors with the promise of a future video game.
According to the indictment, false promises were allegedly made to inflate the value of the NFTs. These promises centered around the development of a video game. It is further alleged that after the project’s fundraising concluded, the website abruptly disappeared. The project’s funds, totaling approximately $3 million, were allegedly transferred.
Mohamed-Amin Atcha, Mohamed Rilaz Waleedh, and Daood Hassan were charged with wire fraud and money laundering. The case is being overseen by U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
