The Security and Exchange Commission of the United States SEC has filed a lawsuit against ICOBox and its founder Nikolay Evdokimo for the conduct of an illegal securities offering of ICOBox’s crypto token.
The investigation which was carried out by Brent W. Wilner also charged ICOBox for acting as an unregistered broker for cryptocurrency token sales ICO.
Based on SEC press released, ICOBox in 2017 sold unregistered digital assets to the public to raised funds in order to build a platform for initial coin offerings ICO. The amount raised was from over a couple thousand investors amounting to an estimated sale of over $14 million worth of “ICOS” tokens.
It was revealed that ICOBox assured investors the token would increase in value upon trading on cryptocurrency exchanges and holders will be able to swap them at a discount for other digital asset offerings on the platform.
The assurance of ICOBox was not met as the ICOS tokens became of no worth. According to SEC, the defendant acted as a broker but failed to register as one and help to facilitate the sales of digital assets to several dozen clients who raised over $650 million.
According to Regional Director of LA Regional Office Michele Wein Layne, ICOBox and its founder, Nikolay Evdokimov ignored the registration requirements of the federal securities law and exposed investors to investments which are now virtually worthless, without providing them information that is essential to investors to making informed investment decisions.
Based on this, the SEC has charged both the platform and its founder with violating the registration requirements of the federal securities laws and seeks injunctive relief, disgorgement with prejudgment interest and civil money penalties.
The investigation was supervised by Victoria A. Levin, Alka N. Patel, and Ms. Layne of the Los Angeles Regional Office.
ICOBox described itself as “the first and the biggest new generation Blockchain Growth Promoter and Business Facilitator for companies seeking to sell their products via ICO/STO crowdsales”.
The litigation is being conducted by Amy J. Longo of the Los Angeles Regional Office, SEC revealed.
