U.S. Department of Justice: Utah man sentenced to 36 months for cryptocurrency scam, with fraud amount exceeding $2.9 million

NonFungibleDegen · 2026-01-16T03:38:12+00:00

Brian Garry Sewell from Utah, USA, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for investment fraud, defrauding approximately 2.9 million USD from 17 investors. The court ordered him to pay over 3.8 million USD in restitution. This case serves as a reminder for people to stay vigilant in cryptocurrency trading.

NonFungibleDegen

2026-01-16 03:38:12

Abstract generation in progress

【Blockchain Rhythm】Another major case of cryptocurrency fraud. The U.S. Department of Justice just announced that 54-year-old Brian Garry Sewell from Utah has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for operating an illegal cash-to-coin exchange business and investment fraud. After serving his sentence, he will also be under three years of supervised release.

This guy’s “scale” is not small—he deceived at least 17 investors out of approximately $2.9 million. The court ordered him to pay over $3.8 million in restitution to the victims and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Even more outrageous is his common modus operandi: fabricating his investment experience, educational background, and high-yield capabilities to fool investors into a frenzy.

The timeline is quite long, spanning from December 2017 to April 2024. He transferred over $5.4 million through a company called Rockwell Capital Management. The FBI Salt Lake City division director commented bluntly: “Profiting through false promises has caused serious financial damage to families and individuals.”

The case was under investigation since 2020 and took nearly five years to close. This case once again reminds us how important it is to be cautious when trading in the cryptocurrency space—high-yield promises often hide traps.

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ColdWalletGuardian

· 01-19 01:48

It's the same old trick again, fabricating backgrounds to fleece investors. Only caught after 7 years? And you still have the nerve to call it capital management.

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SchrodingerAirdrop

· 01-16 05:41

This kind of primitive trick has been able to deceive for 7 years, which shows that the victims really need to catch up on their knowledge. It's another fabricated background scheme; this move in crypto must be tired now. It's only 2.9 million USD; in the crypto world, a single transaction can double, so what's the significance of this news? His operation method was outdated ten years ago, and now people’s awareness of prevention shouldn't be that poor. The name Rockwell sounds unreliable; I should have known long ago.

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RektButStillHere

· 01-16 04:06

Another old scammer routine, fabricating education, creating experience, bragging about returns. This routine is played out, how are people still falling for it? This guy took 7 years to scam only 2.9 million yuan, the efficiency is a bit low, not really a master. Rockwell Capital Management? Never heard of it, and they still dare to raise 5.4 million yuan? Truly incredible. 36 months in prison, so what? These scammers should have their accounts permanently frozen, so they can't get a single penny. When it comes to investing, don't just listen to stories, look at actual data. Being cautious is never a bad thing. Once again, it's the cash-to-coin scam routine. This is probably the easiest place for scammers to thrive. 17 victims, really tragic. Sometimes you wonder if it's bad luck or just a lack of insight.

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SwapWhisperer

· 01-16 04:06

$2.9 million just got arrested, this guy is too bad at this It's the same old investment fraud tricks, I really don't understand how people still fall for it Couldn't fool the scheme in 7 years, still using such low-level tactics Rockwell Capital Management, another shell company, these shell companies are so annoying 36 months? If it were me, I’d say it should be longer You really need to be more cautious before investing, don’t be fooled by those fake resumes One person can scam 17 people out of 2.9 million, which shows that users' due diligence awareness is really poor These cases happen every week, the crypto space needs to be regulated

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AirdropJunkie

· 01-16 04:03

Another classic "high yield" scam, this套路 is everywhere It's truly outrageous to have fooled people for over 7 years. Why didn't the victims suspect earlier? Rockwell Capital Management? Never heard of it, it must be a shell $2.9 million USD was just stolen, indicating that investors' due diligence is really lacking This guy is definitely going to jail, but the victims' money probably can't be recovered Why can such old-fashioned fabricated background stories still fool so many people... Another reminder: high yield promises in crypto are basically synonymous with scams

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TokenSleuth

· 01-16 04:02

Here we go again, same old tricks, superficial deception to fool people. When will these scammers finally stop? Those who rely on bragging and fabricating resumes to scam money should have been severely punished long ago. 2.9 million USD, 17 victims, truly unbelievable. Scamming since 2017 until 2024? Wait, doesn't anyone suspect? How exaggerated must these returns be... 540 million USD in circulation, the name Rockwell... sounds like a third-rate fund, why are people still throwing money into it? Is sitting in prison for life too much? Starting from 36 months, and still have to serve three more years after release. This guy's "career" is really coming to an end.

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DiamondHands

· 01-16 04:02

2.9 million USD only scammed for 7 years? This guy's not good enough, his scamming skills are too poor.

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