The U.S. Department of Justice announced on October 15 that Juan Tacuri, a senior promoter of the Forcount Ponzi scheme, which was later rebranded as Weltsys, was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Tacuri was also ordered to pay $3,610,718 in restitution and will serve one year of supervised release following his prison term, according to the Southern District of New York’s announcement.
Prosecutors revealed that Tacuri’s fraudulent scheme targeted victims worldwide, focusing primarily on Spanish-speaking communities. U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres handed down the maximum statutory sentence of 240 months. After the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams commented:
“Juan Tacuri may have claimed to be involved in cutting-edge cryptocurrency investing, but, in reality, he was running one of the oldest tricks in the book — a Ponzi Scheme.” Williams emphasized that the maximum sentence was a “stark reminder that, in the long run, fraud does not pay.”
According to the Department of Justice, Tacuri and others promoted Forcount as a crypto mining and trading company, luring victims with promises of substantial returns. Victims were assured that their investments would double within six months. In reality, there was no legitimate business behind Forcount, and the money collected from victims was used by promoters to fund lavish lifestyles, including luxury goods and real estate.
Tacuri and other promoters hosted extravagant events across the U.S. to attract more investors. Reports of issues with withdrawals began as early as 2018, and by 2021, the scam’s operators had stopped responding to complaints. In 2022, U.S. prosecutors unsealed charges against Forcount’s founder, Francisley da Silva.
In June 2024, Tacuri pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy. A month later, two additional promoters, Antonia Perez Hernandez and Nestor Nunez, also pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy.
