The U.S. Security and Exchange Commission allegedly filed complaints charging Genesis Global Capital, LLC and Gemini Trust Company, LLC for selling unregistered offers and securities to the public. The offers were sold to retail investors via the crypto asset lending program, Gemini Earn.
The SEC’s complaint was filed against Genesis and Gemini in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The charges were based on the violations of Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act of 1933.
Here is why the SEC filed a complaint and charged the two crypto firms:
- The Gemini Earn program constitutes an offer and sale of securities under applicable law.
- The offers should have been registered with the Commission.
- To make the marketplace and investing public understand the need for crypto lending platforms to comply with the SEC’s time-tested securities laws.
- To promote trust in the market. However, “it is not optional. It’s the law.”
- Failure to register securities with the SEC denies investors the information they require to make informed decisions.
Additionally, the SEC Chair, Gary Gensler said “we allege that Genesis and Gemini offered unregistered securities to the public, bypassing disclosure requirements designed to protect investors.” Also, the Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement added that “The recent collapse of crypto asset lending programs and the suspension of Genesis’ program underscore the critical need for platforms offering securities to retail investors to comply with the federal securities laws.”
The SEC’s complaint specifically “seeks permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains plus prejudgment interest, and civil penalties,” based on the SEC’s investigation findings and violated law.
The findings of the investigation as detailed in the SEC’s release highlighted that “Genesis and Gemini raised billions of dollars’ worth of crypto assets from hundreds of thousands of investors,” however, Gemini ended the Gemini Earn program in early January, and currently, “the Gemini Earn retail investors have still not been able to withdraw their crypto assets.”
The CEOs Reactions
Gemini Exchange Co-founder, Tyler Winklevoss, following the SEC’s released charges over issuing unregistered securities, called the complaints “super lame” and described it as a “manufactured parking ticket.”
Sharing his disapproval on Twitter he claimed the SEC was “optimizing for political points.”
While there has not been a reaction in like manner as that of Tyler from the Genesis CEO, however, Genesis parent company CEO, Barry Silbert is facing SEC filing on its subsidiary, Grayscale and community dissatisfaction over DCG and Genesis Capital.
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