Former CEO of Celsius officially pleads guilty to manipulating the price of CEL token, facing 30 years in prison

Former CEO of Celsius, Alex Mashinsky, has officially pleaded guilty to two charges related to manipulating the value of the CEL token, along with other allegations such as securities fraud and wire fraud. The maximum sentence for these charges could be up to 30 years in prison. In fact, Mashinsky is facing a total of seven charges, with a risk of receiving a prison sentence of up to 115 years due to fraudulent activities and market manipulation.

Celsius was once one of the leading cryptocurrency lending companies but filed for bankruptcy in 2022 after users made mass withdrawals due to a liquidity crisis. Financial regulators, including the SEC and CFTC, have brought charges against both the company and Mashinsky, alleging that they raised billions of dollars through fraudulent means and provided misleading information about Celsius's financial situation. The trial is expected to take place in January 2025, and Mashinsky is seeking to call former employees as witnesses to defend himself.