Juan Tacuri pleads guilty to $8.4 million Forcount Crypto Ponzi scheme

Juan Tacuri, 46, of Greenacres, Florida, a principal promoter of the Forcount cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in the Southern District of New York.

The scheme, which raised $8.4 million from mainly Spanish-speaking investors, has been described as one of the most shocking frauds targeting vulnerable communities.

The declaration of guilt of the promoter of Forcount Juan Tacuri

Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced Tacuri’s plea before U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres.

“With this guilty plea, Juan Tacuri is held accountable for taking advantage of retail investors and selling them a made-up investment opportunity,” said US Attorney Williams.

“Tacuri provided millions of dollars in victims’ funds, funds that the victims could not afford to lose, and spent them lavishly on luxury goods and real estate. This Bureau will not stop pursuing Ponzi masterminds like Tacuri, especially when they target regular, hard-working people who are in financial trouble.”

Tacuri, who played a major role in promoting the fraudulent investment opportunity, will be sentenced on September 24, 2024. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for his role in the conspiracy. As part of his plea agreement, Tacuri will also forfeit nearly $4 million and certain real estate purchased with victim funds.

Forcount Crypto Ponzi Scheme

According to the indictment, public documents and court filings, Forcount (later known as Weltsys) presented itself as a cryptocurrency trading and mining company, falsely promising guaranteed daily returns and the doubling of investments within six months.

Tacuri and other promoters lured victims through extravagant displays and community presentations, touting the scheme as a path to financial freedom. Victims were convinced to invest in cash, checks, wire transfers and cryptocurrency.

Victims were also given access to an online portal that displays fake benefits. However, most were unable to withdraw their supposed earnings and eventually lost all their investments. Meanwhile, Tacuri and other promoters diverted substantial amounts of money for personal luxuries and further promoting the scheme.

As early as April 2018, victims found it difficult to withdraw funds. Complaints to Tacuri and others were met with excuses, delays and hidden fees. Despite the complaints, Tacuri continued to promote the plan and accept investments.

To address liquidity issues, Forcount introduced a proprietary crypto-token, “Mindexcoin,” which Tacuri falsely claimed would gain significant value. In reality, the tokens had no value, adding to the victims’ financial losses. By 2021, the plan had stopped paying victims and Tacuri and other promoters stopped responding to complaints.

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