Crypto Expo Dubai 2021 is scheduled to open at Festival Arena, a venue managed by InterContinental Hotels, and has elevated its profile by platforming known perpetrators of cryptocurrency-based Ponzi schemes.

The event's website offers no clear identification of its organizers. Terms and conditions mention BOB Group Limited, a Hong Kong-registered entity, but this appears to be a shell company. The actual individuals or groups behind Crypto Expo Dubai remain undisclosed. This lack of transparency raises questions about the legitimacy of the event itself.

Despite the obscurity surrounding its management, several individuals linked to significant multi-level marketing (MLM) cryptocurrency scams are listed as speakers. These figures, who have defrauded investors in the past, are seemingly being given a platform to promote their ventures, or at least their association with the crypto industry. This includes Andrey Khovratov, founder of the EvoRich Ponzi scheme. Regulatory bodies in the UK, New Zealand, Latvia, and Spain have issued warnings against UgPay Group, the entity associated with EvoRich.

Also featured is Erik Nurm, a co-founder of TronCase. This smart-contract Ponzi scheme collapsed, and Nurm reportedly fled to Dubai following its demise. Ewelina Furtak and Marcin Sen are connected to Electric Cash, which is part of the Mining City Ponzi scheme. Warnings against Mining City have been issued by regulators in the Philippines and Canada. Silke Leistner represents Ducatus, a scheme that has been rebranded multiple times, first as Ducatus Network and then as Centurion Global. This entity is a reboot of the OneCoin clone Ponzi scheme, Swiss Mine.

Notably, Centurion Global, operating under the Ducatus name, and Mining City, via its Electric Cash association, are listed as "Silver" sponsors for Crypto Expo Dubai. Their sponsorship suggests financial contributions to the event, further solidifying the connection between the expo and these fraudulent operations.

The event's agenda includes a session titled "How the regulation for Crypto industry is matured?". The irony of this topic is stark, given that individuals associated with widely recognized Ponzi schemes are being presented as "industry pioneers" with speaking engagements. This suggests a significant gap between the stated aims of crypto regulation and the reality of industry events that appear to welcome and legitimize fraudsters. The presence of these figures indicates a failure in oversight within the burgeoning crypto event circuit.