Paxful to Plead Guilty and Pay $7.5 Million in U.S. Penalties

The peer-to-peer crypto marketplace faces federal criminal charges and civil fines for facilitating billions in transactions linked to illicit activity.

Summary

Paxful Holdings Inc. will plead guilty to three federal criminal charges and pay a total of $7.5 million in penalties, comprising a $4 million criminal fine and a $3.5 million civil penalty from FinCEN (U.S. financial crimes regulator). Between 2017 and 2019, the peer-to-peer cryptocurrency platform processed $3 billion in transactions despite being aware that its services were used for illicit purposes.

Terms & Concepts
  • FinCEN: The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a U.S. government bureau focused on preventing money laundering and other financial crimes.
  • Peer-to-peer cryptocurrency marketplace: A platform that enables direct crypto trades between users without an intermediary.
  • Civil penalty: A monetary fine imposed by a regulatory authority for violations of laws or regulations, separate from criminal sanctions.