Initial Lawsuit
“This is a class action lawsuit on behalf of all people in the United States who enrolled in a BlockFi Interest Account/Crypto Interest Account, which is an unregistered security under state and federal law. Since March 4, 2019, BlockFi, through its affiliates has been, at least in part, funding its lending operations and proprietary trading through the sale of unregistered securities in the form of cryptocurrency interest-earning accounts. BlockFi refers to these unregistered securities as its “Crypto Interest Account” or the “BlockFi Interest Account” (BIAs).”
(see complaint for detailed class definition)
- Filing Date
03/01/2022 - Public Offering Date
03/04/2019 - Transgression
Securities Violation - Filing Firms
Bursor & Fisher, P.A. - Case Title
Mangano v. BlockFi - Docket Number
2:22-cv-01112 - Court
New Jersey District Court - Free File
Complaint
Allegations
“BlockFi allows investors to purchase the BIAs by depositing certain eligible cryptocurrencies into accounts at BlockFi. BlockFi then pools these cryptocurrencies together to fund its lending operations and proprietary trading. In exchange for investing in the BIAs, investors are promised an attractive interest rate that is paid monthly in cryptocurrency. The BIAs are not protected by Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).”
BlockFi did not register the BIAs with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or with the California Commissioner of Corporations (Commission). BlockFi offered and sold securities without a registration statement filed or in effect with the Commission and without qualifying for an exemption from registration; as a result, BlockFi violated Sections 5(a) and 5(c) of the Securities Act of 1933.
Defendants
- Company
BlockFi, Inc. - Company
BlockFi - Company
BlockFi Trading, LLC - Company
BlockFi Lending, LLC
