Overview
- Olena Oblamska, known online as Lola Ferrari, appeared in federal court in Oregon, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and was ordered jailed until a jury trial set for July.
- Thai cybercrime officers arrested her in Phuket and transferred her to U.S. custody, according to officials who detailed the February raid and early May extradition.
- Prosecutors say Forsage posed as a decentralized investment platform but used smart contracts to route money from new buyers to earlier participants across Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, and Tron.
- Court filings cite blockchain analysis showing more than 80% of Ethereum users lost money and that over half of participants received no payout, and investigators are asking affected investors to contact authorities.
- Three co-defendants, including alleged leader Vladimir Okhotnikov, remain at large as U.S. agents pursue a case that extends across borders and challenges marketing claims of decentralization.