Fugitive Sentenced to 20 Years for $73M Global Crypto Scam

A US federal court sentenced a fugitive to the statutory maximum of 20 years for his role in a $73 million cryptocurrency fraud that used fake investment platforms and shell companies to launder proceeds. The sentence, imposed on February 9, 2026, will be followed by three years of supervised release, though the defendant has fled and remains at large.

The Department of Justice says Daren Li, a dual national of China and St. Kitts and Nevis, played a key role in an international scam that operated out of scam centers in Cambodia. The operation relied on social engineering, unsolicited social media messages, phone calls and online dating services to build trust, then directed victims to spoofed websites designed to resemble legitimate trading platforms.

Li was arrested in April 2024 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and pleaded guilty on November 12, 2024 to conspiring to launder proceeds from cryptocurrency scams and related fraud.

United States, Atlanta

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