Bulgarian authorities cost 4 people following raid on Nexo workplace: Report

by Jeremy

Lower than 48 hours after a raid on cryptocurrency lender Nexo’s workplaces within the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, prosecutors have reportedly charged 4 folks.

In line with a Jan. 13 report by Bloomberg, authorities charged 4 Bulgarian nationals with forming an organized crime group, which can have included actions associated to cash laundering and unlicensed banking. The nation’s Nationwide Police Service reportedly seized various belongings as a part of the investigation, together with cryptocurrency, money, and computer systems.

Following the Jan. 12 raid, Nexo described prosecutors’ actions as a “kick first, ask questions later” method. The corporate reportedly deliberate to file a lawsuit in search of compensation for damages brought on by police actions, alleging authorities didn’t present a search warrant or determine themselves to Nexo workers.

“We’re at all times cooperating with the related authorities and regulators,” stated the lending agency.

George Naydenov, a frontend developer at Nexo’s Sofia workplace, stated on LinkedIn: 

“I thank the Bulgarian Prosecutor’s Workplace for attempting, in fact, in essentially the most incompetent and pathetic approach to remove the work of over 600 folks in Nexo together with me.”

It’s unclear which people and what function they might have held at Nexo have been concerned within the arrests. The lending agency has roughly 600 workers in Sofia.

Associated: California information order in opposition to Nexo curiosity account, says it’s eighth state to take motion

Based in 2018, Nexo operates an funding platform permitting customers to stake and borrow in opposition to crypto. The corporate has workplaces in the UK, Bulgaria, and Switzerland, however reportedly doesn’t provide its companies to Bulgarian residents attributable to potential points with the native authorities. In December, Nexo introduced that it deliberate to part out its companies in the US, citing the shortage of a transparent regulatory-compliant path ahead.