Pastor ran crypto scam preying on congregation, CFTC sues

As a seasoned analyst with years of experience in the financial industry, I find it deeply concerning when individuals, particularly those in positions of trust like Pastor Francier Obando Pinillo, exploit their authority to perpetrate fraudulent schemes. The Solanofi case is a stark reminder of the potential dangers lurking within the complex world of digital assets and multilevel marketing, especially for unsuspecting victims who may lack sufficient understanding of these domains.

The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has brought a lawsuit accusing Washington State pastor Francier Obando Pinillo of running a suspected fraudulent multi-level marketing business dealing with digital assets.

Under the ‘Solanofi’ brand, the program aimed at approximately 1,500 people, predominantly Spanish-speaking congregants of a church led by a pastor in Pasco, Washington.

The plan, estimated to be worth approximately $5.9 million, allegedly assured clients potential earnings of as much as 34.9% per month, suggesting it operated a supposedly risk-free system for multiplying investments through cryptocurrency trading.

Contrarily to what some claim, there was no such trading platform as alleged, no transactions took place, and the CFTC reported that all customer funds were misspent.

Pinillo’s crypto sins

Pastor Pinillo exploited his position of trust to gain confidence from his victims, who often lacked comprehension about cryptocurrencies and trading. Posing as the CEO of Solanofi businesses, Pinillo promised clients that the platform’s automated system was capable of delivering extraordinary profits through cryptocurrency transactions.

To uphold the illusion, Pinillo gave clients false account balances displayed online and incentivized more people to participate by offering 15% referral rewards. This strategy ultimately shaped a structure similar to a Ponzi scheme, as funds from new investors were utilized to pay supposed earnings to earlier contributors.

As an analyst, I’m reporting on the charges levied against Pinillo by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The complaint alleges that in his solicitations, Pinillo omitted crucial details such as the non-existence of a genuine trading platform and fabricated account statements. Furthermore, it is claimed that he misused customer funds, which is a serious breach of trust and compliance with regulatory standards.

In truth, the money categorized as earnings was derived from improperly used resources. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is striving to restore the funds to defrauded clients, recover these misused funds, impose civil fines, and permanently prohibit Pinillo from any future trading activities.

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2024-12-11 21:00