California Man Sues Three
Asian Banks Over $1 Million Crypto Fraud Loss –
Who’s
to Blame?
California Man Sues Three Asian Banks Over $1 Million Crypto Fraud Loss –
Who’s to Blame?
by Samuel Edyme
4 minutes ago
in Crypto News
0
A California man, Ken Liem, has taken legal action against three prominent
Asian-based banks—Fubon Bank, Chong Hing Bank, and DBS Bank—for allegedly
facilitating a $1 million cryptocurrency• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта scam.
The lawsuit , filed in a California district court on December 31, 2024,
claims that these banks failed to meet fundamental financial compliance
requirements, including Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering
(AML) checks, which might have prevented the fraud.
Related Reading: Hong Kong Lawmaker Proposes Bitcoin• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта » Bitcoin Inclusion In Fiscal
Reserves
Allegations Of Compliance Failures And Financial Oversight
The lawsuit traces the scam s origins back to June 2023, when Liem was
approached on LinkedIn with what seemed to be a legitimate cryptocurrency• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта
investment opportunity. Over the following months, Liem transferred
significant funds into accounts held at the three banks.
These funds were subsequently moved to third-party accounts, allegedly
controlled by the scammers. Liem s legal team asserts that basic
compliance checks could have revealed irregularities in these accounts,
potentially flagging them as suspicious before significant damage occurred .
Liem s attorneys also argue that the banks involved neglected essential
KYC and AML measures, which are standard industry practices designed to
prevent financial fraud.
They claim that even a basic review of the accounts would have revealed
inconsistencies, including a lack of verifiable evidence supporting the
legitimacy of the account holders business• Экономика » Бизнес activities . The lawsuit
states that the banks likely overlooked clear warning signs and, in doing so,
played an indirect role in facilitating the scam.
Additionally, the suit accuses the banks of violating the US Bank Secrecy Act
(BSA), which mandates financial institutions to maintain records of
transactions and report any suspicious activities to the Financial Crimes
Enforcement Network (FinCEN• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Fi » Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Ми » Министерство финансов США » Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
• Объект организация » Организации по алфавиту » Организации на Пр » Правительство США » Министерство финансов США » Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
• Государство » Государственное устройство США » Правительство США » Министерство финансов США » Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)
• Соединённые Штаты Америки (США) » Государственное устройство США » Правительство США » Министерство финансов США » Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN)).
Given that DBS Bank operates a branch in California and the transactions from
Fubon and Chong Hing were routed through Liem’s Wells Fargo account, the
lawsuit argues that these banks fall under US regulatory jurisdiction .
This connection forms the basis of the claim that the banks had a legal
obligation to act on the suspicious nature of these transactions.
Legal Implications And The Growing Threat of Crypto Scams
The lawsuit also highlights the involvement of Hong Kong-based business• Экономика » Бизнес
entities —Richou Trade, FFQI Trade, Xibing, and Weidel—that allegedly funneled
Liem s funds to third-party accounts. These entities are accused of
being intermediaries in the scam, serving as channels for laundering the
stolen funds.
Notably, the case highlights the persistent vulnerabilities in the global
financial system, particularly in the context of cross-border cryptocurrency• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта
fraud schemes.
Related Reading: US Court Appearance Scheduled For Do Kwon Amid Claims Of $40
Billion In Crypto Losses
It raises questions about the responsibilities of banking institutions in
preventing such scams and ensuring compliance with international financial
regulations. If the lawsuit progresses , it could set a precedent for holding
banks accountable for failing to flag suspicious activities in crypto-related
transactions. The global digital currency• Экономика » Финансы » Платежные средства » Платежные системы интернета » Криптовалюта market cap value on the 1-day chart.
Source: TradingView.com
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