Turkish authorities detained Richard Heart, the founder of the Hex cryptocurrency, in Istanbul following an Interpol Red Notice. The operation involved local police and the National Intelligence Organization, targeting a residence in the Besiktas district.
During the arrest, officers confiscated various items, including mobile phones, laptops, graphics cards, firearms, drones, gold jewelry, and cash. Heart was taken into custody alongside his wife on Wednesday morning.
The Interpol notice was issued in 2024 at the request of Finland, citing charges of aggravated tax fraud. Finnish authorities have also reportedly investigated Heart regarding an alleged assault.
Previously, in 2023, the U.S. SEC charged Heart and his entities, Hex, PulseChain, and PulseX, with unregistered securities offerings totaling over $1 billion. The SEC also alleged the misappropriation of $12 million for luxury purchases.
A federal judge dismissed the SEC case in February 2025 due to a lack of jurisdiction, noting the activities were not clearly targeted at U.S. investors. The SEC did not amend the complaint by the April deadline.
