🚨 JUST IN: Former SafeMoon US CEO Sentenced to Over 8 Years in Prison

Braden John Karony, former CEO of SafeMoon US LLC, has been sentenced to just over eight years in federal prison for defrauding investors and misusing project funds for personal luxury spending.

What happened

• Karony, 29, was convicted of securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering

• Prosecutors say he stole more than $9M in digital assets from SafeMoon

• Funds were used to finance a lavish lifestyle, including:

– A $2.2M mansion

– An Audi R8, Tesla, and a custom Ford F-550

Court ruling

⚖️ In addition to prison time:

• Karony must forfeit ~$7.5M

• Two residential properties seized

• Sentencing handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York

Why it matters

SafeMoon, launched in 2021, once peaked at over $8B in market cap.

The project charged a 10% transaction tax, which investors were told would support locked liquidity pools. Prosecutors say Karony and co-conspirators secretly drained those pools instead.

What’s next

• One co-conspirator has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing

• Another suspect remains at large

Bottom line

This is one of the most high-profile reminders that crypto fraud carries real-world consequences.

Transparency, custody controls, and on-chain accountability aren’t optional—they’re survival tools.

#SafeMoon #CryptoNews #Fraud #Regulation #InvestorProtection