Do Kwon Pleads Guilty in Terraform Labs $40 Billion Collapse Case

Published at 2025-08-13 04:06:32
Do Kwon Pleads Guilty in Terraform Labs $40 Billion Collapse Case – cover image

Do Kwon, often called "the cryptocurrency king," has pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud in connection with the catastrophic $40 billion collapse of Terraform Labs' TerraUSD stablecoin and Luna cryptocurrency. This major legal development was announced in a Manhattan federal court, where Kwon admitted guilt for conspiring to commit commodities, securities, and wire fraud, as well as wire fraud on separate grounds.

Terraform Labs, co-founded by Kwon, had promoted TerraUSD as a secure investment option. However, its abrupt failure in May 2022 devastated investors globally, resulting in massive financial losses. Following his arrest in Montenegro in March 2023 over passport irregularities and extradition to the U.S., Kwon agreed to a plea deal that caps his prison sentence to a maximum of 12 years, significantly less than the 25 years recommended by federal sentencing guidelines.

As part of this plea agreement, Kwon will forfeit over $19 million in assets and relinquish his interests in Terraform Labs and its associated cryptocurrencies. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton commented that Kwon exploited the fervor around cryptocurrencies to execute one of history's largest financial frauds.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 11, marking a critical point in the quest for accountability in the crypto space.

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