Edward Zimbardi, 59, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, appeared in U.S. federal court after Fiji deported him to the United States on Aug. 14, 2026 in a case tied to The Crypto Program, which prosecutors say raised more than $165 million from more than 6,000 investors. He faces 25 federal counts, including 12 counts of wire fraud, 12 counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, after prosecutors alleged the operation promised guaranteed 25% monthly returns on purported digital advertising packages and directed investors to send cryptocurrency to wallets he secretly controlled. Prosecutors say later investor money was used to pay earlier participants, more than $34 million was lost in risky foreign-exchange trades and at least $10 million was spent on personal expenses including a house for his son, luxury vehicles and alimony. Investigators say he remained in Fiji for more than a year after learning of the FBI probe in July 2025 and skipped his son's wedding in Virginia in May 2026 because he suspected agents would arrest him; the FBI has asked investors to come forward, and Zimbardi is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.