$328M Crypto Scheme Crashes as Founder Arrested in Florida - Crypto Economy

TL;DR

• Federal prosecutors charged Christopher Delgado with running a $328 million crypto scheme.
• Delgado promised investors guaranteed monthly returns of 3 to 8 percent.
• He used new investor money to pay earlier participants in classic Ponzi fashion.

Federal authorities arrested a Florida man accused of running a Ponzi scheme linked to cryptocurrencies that allegedly raised at least $328 million from investors. Christopher Alexander Delgado, 34, a resident of Apopka, faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against Delgado, who served as president and chief executive of Goliath Ventures, a company previously known as Gen-Z Venture Firm. The arrest took place this week in Florida. If a court finds him guilty on all counts, Delgado could receive a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison. The criminal complaint contains allegations, and Delgado is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

According to court documents, between January 2023 and January 2026 Delgado allegedly raised hundreds of millions of dollars from investors by promising monthly returns generated through cryptocurrency liquidity pools. The contracts offered investors monthly returns of approximately 3% to 8%, which the company described as “guaranteed” or “low risk.”

Investors received payments using money from new participants

The investigation revealed that Goliath Ventures did not invest the funds as promised. Instead of placing the capital into liquidity pools, Delgado allegedly operated the company as a Ponzi scheme. Payments that earlier investors received came from money contributed by new participants. That structure allowed the firm to meet withdrawal requests for a time, but the business did not generate the promised returns.

Court records indicate the company’s claims about using the money were false. Investigators conducted blockchain analysis and found that only approximately $1.5 million was sent to Uniswap, a decentralized exchange platform. The “vast majority” of investor funds never entered liquidity pools.


To give the business credibility and attract victims, Delgado used several tactics. Prosecutors say the defendant relied on personal referrals, polished marketing materials, luxury events and charitable sponsorships.

He also made periodic payments that he presented as investment returns. Investors could view account updates through an online portal that displayed consistent gains. But the reported “returns” were fabricated and adjusted to match the rates promised in contracts.

The case has drawn attention due to the volume of money involved. A global report from TRM Labs indicates that pyramid and Ponzi schemes received approximately $6.1 billion in victim funds worldwide during 2025. That figure represents a 49% increase compared to the previous year.