NEW YORK — Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams announced that on Oct. 15, Juan Tacuri, a senior promoter in the cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme known as Forcount (later known as Weltsys) was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres. The Forcount scheme spanned the globe, ensnared thousands of victim-investors, and in the United States principally targeted Spanish-speaking populations.
Tacuri, 46, of Greenacres, Florida, was one of the scheme’s most successful promoters and reaped millions of dollars from his participation in the fraud, which he spent on Florida real estate and luxury goods, among other things. Over 20 victims appeared before the court to give victim impact statements.
According to the investigation, the indictment, public filings and statements made in court, Forcount was a purported cryptocurrency mining and trading company that promised to earn its victim-investors profits in exchange for their purchase of purported cryptocurrency-related investment products. The founders and promoters of the scheme, such as Tacuri, falsely promised their victims, among other things, that profits from the company’s cryptocurrency trading and mining would result in guaranteed daily returns on victims’ investments and the doubling of those investments within six months. In reality, Forcount was not engaging in cryptocurrency trading or mining, and the founder and promoters of the scheme were using victim funds to pay other victims, further promote the schemes and enrich themselves.
Tacuri traveled throughout the United States where he and others hosted lavish expos and small community presentations aimed at luring victims to invest in the schemes, including in the Southern District of New York. During larger-scale events, Tacuri would present Forcount’s investment products and compensation plan, encourage victims to invest as a means of achieving financial freedom and boast about the amount of money he was earning, including by wearing designer clothing to such events. The atmosphere of these events was festive and designed to generate excitement about the schemes.
Victims invested in the Forcount scheme by purchasing investment products from promoters, such as Tacuri, using cash, checks, wire transfers and actual cryptocurrency. Following a victim’s investment, they would be provided with access to an online portal where they could monitor their purported returns. While victims saw “profits” accumulate on the scheme’s online portal, most were unable to withdraw any of these so-called profits and ultimately lost their entire investments. By contrast, Forcount’s promoters, like Tacuri, siphoned off, in some cases, hundreds of thousands of dollars in victim funds, which they withdrew as cash, spent on promotional expenses for the schemes and used for personal expenditures such as luxury goods and real estate.
At least as early as in or about April 2018, victims who attempted to withdraw money from their online portal accounts had difficulty doing so and, when they complained to promoters, such as Tacuri, they were met with excuses, delays, and hidden fees, if they were able to make any withdrawals at all. Despite these complaints, Forcount’s promoters, including Tacuri, continued to promote the fraudulent scheme and accept victims’ investments. As complaints mounted, Forcount began offering proprietary crypto tokens for sale as a means of injecting liquidity into the scheme. Tacuri claimed that these tokens, known as “Mindexcoin,” would eventually be worth a significant amount of money when they were accepted by companies for payment for goods and services. This was false. In reality, they were essentially worthless and resulted in further financial loss to victims. By in or about 2021, the scheme had stopped making payments to victims and their chief promoters, including Tacuri, stopped promoting the schemes, and, in some instances, stopped responding to victims’ complaints altogether.
In addition to the prison term, Tacuri was sentenced to one year of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $3,610,718.67 and all right and title to a home in Florida that he purchased in part with Forcount victim funds. Tacuri was also ordered to pay at least $3,610,718.67 in restitution.
Walker also thanked the New York City Police Department, the New York City Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Insurance Fraud, Property, and Casualty in the Division of Investigative and Forensic Services of the Florida Department of Financial Services, and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation for their assistance. Walker also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Brazilian Federal Police for its assistance.
If you believe that you have been victimized by the Forcount/Weltsys Ponzi scheme, please call the HSI Tip line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or send an email to USANYS-ForcountVicti@usa.doj.gov.
HSI New York leads and directs all operational and administrative activities of the El Dorado Task Force. The El Dorado Task Force is the premier money laundering task force in the nation and comprises more than 200 law enforcement personnel representing approximately 35 federal, state and local law enforcement and regulatory agencies. It encompasses a standalone Cyber Division as part of an effort to stay abreast of emerging criminal threats and in keeping with current and future investigative priorities. The El Dorado Task Force’s mission is to disrupt, dismantle or render ineffective organizations involved in the laundering of proceeds of narcotics trafficking and other financial crimes. Since its inception in 1992, the task force has been responsible for the seizure of approximately $600 million and more than 2,100 arrests.