The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) secured a court order requiring defendants to pay over $31 million. The ruling follows a fraud scheme involving a fake trading platform called Fundsz, which falsely promised weekly returns exceeding 3%.
The scheme targeted more than 14,000 participants across the United States. At least 9,100 investors suffered combined losses estimated at $15.7 million. The platform claimed to generate profits through automated trading of digital assets and precious metals, though no actual trading occurred.
The CFTC filed the complaint on July 31, 2023, noting that the defendants were not registered with the agency. The list of defendants included Rene Larralde, Juan Pablo Valcarce, Brian Early, and Alisha Ann Kingrey. Larralde died during the proceedings, while Valcarce reached a settlement.
A court-appointed receiver has recovered over $4 million for victim compensation as of mid-2026. Legal proceedings remain ongoing, with default judgments against Early and Kingrey still pending. The $31 million figure represents the total funds solicited rather than the final restitution amount.
