Antonia Perez Hernandez, a key promoter for the fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme Forcount, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on July 25th, agreeing to forfeit $231,709. Her plea in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York marked another conviction in the sprawling $800 million Ponzi empire orchestrated by Francis Da Silva.
Forcount presented itself to investors as a legitimate crypto mining operation, promising substantial, often fixed, passive returns on investments. Victims were told their funds would be used to mine digital currencies, generating profits that were then distributed. In reality, the scheme operated as a classic Ponzi, paying early investors with money from later recruits rather than from any actual mining activities. Promoters like Hernandez actively recruited new participants, often through multi-level marketing structures, expanding the fraudulent network and perpetuating the deception.
The initial charges against Hernandez came through a superseding indictment filed on December 6th, 2022. The legal action emphasized the Department of Justice's ongoing efforts to dismantle the Forcount organization and similar crypto-related frauds. The scheme, launched in late 2017, lured thousands of individuals with the promise of easy wealth in the booming cryptocurrency market. Many victims, drawn by aggressive marketing and the perceived legitimacy of their recruiters, invested life savings, losing everything when the pyramid inevitably collapsed.
Hernandez's agreement to a preliminary order of forfeiture means she must surrender $231,709 derived from her illicit activities within the Forcount scheme. This forfeiture aims to recover some of the stolen funds, which federal prosecutors then seek to return to the victims. Such orders are standard in federal financial fraud cases, stripping defendants of ill-gotten gains and contributing to restitution efforts.
Her guilty plea followed similar admissions from other high-profile Forcount figures. Juan Tacuri, another significant promoter, also pleaded guilty earlier in the year. Tacuri later received a 20-year prison sentence on September 24th for his role in the scheme, reflecting the severe consequences for orchestrating such large-scale financial deceptions.
Nestor Nunez, known as the CEO of Boris and another key Forcount leader, also entered a guilty plea to wire fraud conspiracy. Nunez was initially scheduled for sentencing on November 18th. On that date, the court sentenced Nunez to four years in federal prison for his involvement in defrauding investors.
Hernandez's own sentencing was originally set for November 18th, the same day as Nunez. However, to ensure an unbiased judicial review of her individual circumstances, the Department of Justice and Hernandez's legal team jointly requested an adjournment. The court granted this request on November 5th, rescheduling her sentencing for January 27th, 2025. This decision separated the proceedings, allowing the court to focus solely on Hernandez's specific actions and culpability.
On January 28th, 2025, Antonia Hernandez received a sentence of 30 months in federal prison. This sentencing brings closer to a conclusion the federal government's prosecution of key figures in the Forcount Ponzi scheme.