According to ChainCatcher and reported by Cointelegraph, Terraform Labs co-founder Do Kwon has been hit with an additional charge: conspiracy to commit money laundering. This is a new charge in the superseding indictment unsealed by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on January 2. The indictment states that Do Kwon conspired with others, knowing that transactions involving more than $10,000 were related to illegal proceeds, yet still facilitated these financial transactions.
Previously, Kwon was charged with 8 felonies for his role in the 2022 Terra ecosystem collapse and was arrested in Montenegro in 2023 for forging travel documents. After extradition disputes between the U.S. and South Korea, Kwon was handed over to the U.S. in December 2024. Currently, Kwon pleaded not guilty to all charges at his hearing on January 2 and agreed to be detained. Whether a plea deal will be reached or a criminal trial will proceed remains uncertain.
This case bears similarities to that of former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, who faced additional charges after extradition and was ultimately sentenced to 25 years in prison.