The Crypto Influencer was punished by 45 months in prison for wire fraud

Thomas John Sfraga, also known as “TJ Stone,” received 45 months in prison for wire fraud and was ordered to pay more than $ 1.3 million in Forfeiture as part of a scheme targeting crypto investors.

In a notice of March 14, the US Justice Department Says SFraga was punished in the US district court for the Eastern District of New York (Edny) for wire fraud following a May 2024 offender. Court filings said the influencer and podcaster claimed that he had the owners of businesses – including vandelay contracting, a name based on a running joke from the television series Seinfeld – and the emcee of many crypto events in New York City.

“(…) Sfraga convinces a victim to invest in a fictional cryptocurrency ‘virtual wallet,'” the Justice Department said. “He promised the victims to return to their investments as high as 60% in three months. In fact, SFRAGA used the money entrusted by the victims for his own benefits, pay costs, and pay earlier victims and business comrades.”

SFraga’s case is one of the many involving crypto -related crimes that has been pursued in the area following John Durham’s appointment as President Donald Trump’s temporary US lawyer. Braden John Karony, former CEO of SafeMoon, also faces Edny criminal charges, requested in February That his criminal trial for the conspiracy of security fraud, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy will be pushed based on the administration’s approach to crypto implementation.