Ohio Investment Manager Sentenced to 9 Years for $10M Crypto Ponzi Scheme
Quick Look
- Ohio investment manager Rathnakishore Giri, 31, was sentenced to nine years in prison for a $10 million cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme.
- He defrauded investors with false promises of Bitcoin trading returns, using new funds to pay earlier participants and continuing the fraud while awaiting sentencing.
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Why It Matters
An Ohio investment manager has been sentenced to prison for orchestrating a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of $10 million. Rathnakishore Giri's scheme involved false promises of guaranteed returns through Bitcoin derivatives trading, with funds from new victims used to pay earlier participants.
An Ohio investment manager has been sentenced to nine years in prison for orchestrating a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors of $10 million.
Along with the nine-year sentence, Rathnakishore Giri, 31, of New Albany, received three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud in October 2024.
Giri’s scheme involved false promises of guaranteed returns through Bitcoin derivatives trading. Instead of investing funds, the investment manager used money from new victims to pay earlier participants in a “hallmark of a Ponzi scheme.”
According to prosecutors, Giri “created the appearance of success” by presenting himself as a successful, wealthy investor with a garage of luxury cars including two Lamborghinis, a Tesla and an Audi R8, a collection of high-end watches. He also indulged in flights on private jets and luxury vacation rentals.
Per the Ohio Office of Public Affairs, Giri continued the fraud after his admission of guilt. While on pretrial release awaiting sentencing, he solicited funds from new cryptocurrency investors, causing "additional harm to new victims" even as federal prosecutors prepared for his sentencing hearing.
The sentencing comes as cryptocurrency fraud reaches new heights. According to the FBI, Americans lost more than $11 billion to crypto-related crimes in 2025, a 22% increase from the previous year.
Open Questions
- How many total victims were there?
- What is the total amount of recoverable assets?
- Will there be further charges or investigations related to this scheme?
- What specific measures are being taken to prevent future crypto fraud of this nature?
