The U.S. Department of Justice Indicts Four Crypto Market Makers, 10 Executives Accused of Wash Trading The U.S. Department of Justice announced that a federal grand jury has filed charges against 10 executives and employees from four crypto market-making firms—Gotbit, Vortex, Antier, and Contrarian. Allegations: Inflating prices and trading volumes through fake transactions to mislead investors into buying at high prices. Currently, two CEOs and another executive from three of the companies have been extradited from Singapore to the U.S. and made their initial court appearance at the federal court in Oakland, California. The case is being jointly investigated by the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, with over $1 million in crypto assets seized. Two defendants have already pleaded guilty and been sentenced, while the remaining individuals, if convicted, face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.