Michael Noble appears to be the next BitConnect promoter facing criminal charges, according to a Department of Justice motion filed this week.

The DOJ filed a supplemental motion on February 14th seeking to pause the SEC's civil case against Noble while parallel criminal proceedings move forward. The move mirrors earlier stays granted for co-defendants Trevon James and Craig Grant, suggesting all three men are targets of an ongoing grand jury investigation tied to the collapsed cryptocurrency scheme.

Noble wasn't included in the original November stay request—an oversight the government acknowledged. When the DOJ and SEC realized the omission, they approached Noble about the modification. He declined their request, prompting the supplemental filing later that same day.

The court gave Noble until March 1st to respond. A hearing will follow once his response is filed.

The stay request centers on a criminal investigation led out of the Southern District of California. Prosecutor Glenn Arcaro already pleaded guilty to BitConnect charges and settled his SEC case, establishing the precedent for these proceedings. The DOJ argues that the same facts underlie both civil and criminal cases, making a stay appropriate to prevent the SEC case from interfering with the criminal investigation.

Five promoters were named in the SEC's BitConnect case: Trevon James (using the alias Trevon Brown), Craig Grant, Joshua Jeppesen, Ryan Maasen, and Michael Noble. The DOJ has only sought stays for James, Grant, and now Noble—a gap that suggests Jeppesen and Maasen may not be subjects of criminal investigation.

Grand jury proceedings remain sealed, meaning the public won't learn much until charges are filed or arrests made.

James, now operating under the shortened name "TrVon," continues peddling fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes on YouTube from North Carolina. Grant fled the country after the SEC lawsuit and is believed hiding in central Jamaica, where the SEC has struggled to locate him.

The BitConnect scheme promised impossibly high returns and collapsed spectacularly, leaving thousands of investors with significant losses. The ongoing prosecutions represent the government's effort to hold promoters accountable for their role in the fraud.

🤖 Quick Answer

Who is Michael Noble and why is he facing criminal charges?
Michael Noble is a BitConnect promoter reportedly targeted by a Department of Justice grand jury investigation. The DOJ filed a supplemental motion in February seeking to pause civil proceedings against him while parallel criminal charges proceed, mirroring actions taken against co-defendants Trevon James and Craig Grant in connection with the collapsed cryptocurrency scheme.

Why did the initial DOJ motion exclude Michael Noble?
The government acknowledged an oversight when the DOJ initially requested a stay in November without including Noble among the defendants. Upon realizing the omission, authorities approached Noble seeking modification to the motion, but he declined their request, leading to the supplemental filing.

What does the court stay mean for Noble's cases?
The requested stay would temporarily pause the SEC's civil case against Noble while criminal proceedings advance. This procedural move allows federal prosecutors to pursue parallel criminal investigations without interference from ongoing civil litigation,

🔗 Related Articles

- Seventh BitConnect class-action voluntarily dismissed (California)
- Default entered against Trevon James in BitConnect class-action
- DOJ filing suggests BitConnect promoters facing indictment
- BitConnect class-action lawsuit filed over $771,000 in losses
- Seventh BitConnect lawsuit filed in California ($110,000 in losses)