OneCoin, an infamous cryptocurrency pyramid scheme, makes an uncredited cameo appearance in a recently leaked FBI intelligence bulletin on the money laundering risks of private investment funds.
The main thrust of the bulletin, dated May 1, is that criminals and foreign adversaries of the U.S. âlikelyâ use hedge funds, private equity and other investment vehicles to circumvent financial institutionsâ anti-money-laundering (AML) procedures.
One of the four examples given by the FBI analysts involves a âfraudulent cryptocurrency investment scheme.â While the scheme is never named, the story told in the bulletin bears a striking resemblance to the OneCoin case.Â
Read more: Jury Convicts Crypto Ponzi Scheme OneCoinâs Lawyer on Fraud Charges
For example:
The FBI cited public information as well as âa human source with direct accessâ in its account. The bulletinâs other three examples of money laundering through private funds do not mention crypto.
Reuters first reported on the bulletin Tuesday. The bulletin is unclassified, but âlaw enforcement sensitive,â meaning itâs not supposed to be shared outside the federal government without FBI permission.
While OneCoin was a scam, the veiled references to Scottâs crimes in the FBI bulletin are a salient reminder that banks, not cryptocurrencies, were used to launder the ill-gotten gains.
Read the full memo below.