A New York court has sentenced Antonia Perez Hernandez, a key promoter in the Forcount Ponzi scheme, to 30 months in prison.

The ruling, delivered by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres on January 27, follows Hernandez’s guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

A Web of Lies

The Tampa resident is said to have been part of a group that stole about $8.4 million from unsuspecting investors between 2017 and 2021. With others not in court, she promoted Forcount as a crypto trading and mining company, claiming those who invested in it would double their money in half a year.

However, the firm carried out no legitimate operations; instead, it hoodwinked investors by giving them access to an online portal purporting to show how their funds were growing. Most could not withdraw any of the so-called profits they saw on the website, and the few who got any money were paid using funds from new investors rather than proceeds from the company’s activities.

When complaints started mounting, Hernandez, in conjunction with Juan Tacuri and Nestor Nuñez, began selling a proprietary crypto token called “Mindexcoin.” They claimed the coin’s value would skyrocket once it became accepted by mainstream merchants as payment for goods and services.

The three were indicted in December 2022, alongside Forcount founder Francisley Da Silva and six other perpetrators of a separate crypto Ponzi scheme.

Tacuri pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in June 2024. A month later, his co-conspirators also admitted to the same charge. He was sentenced to 20 years and forced to forfeit about $3.6 million he had made from the scam. In comparison, Nuñez came off relatively easier, receiving a four-year sentence for his role.

When Hernandez finally had her day in court, Judge Torres sent her to prison for 30 months as had been recommended by the U.S. Attorney’s office. In her judgment, Torres pointed out that while the accused was not the mastermind, she played a key role in promoting the worthless token to unsuspecting investors.

Victims Lost Life Savings

According to court reports, some people who had put money into the scam spoke out during the sentencing, detailing the devastating financial and emotional impact of the promoter’s actions.

One victim, appearing via video call, is said to have struggled with connection issues as they shared their experience. Another, bound to a wheelchair, wanted to know how the scammer was still living comfortably despite the crimes she had committed.

Judge Torres, famous for her 2023 ruling in a case pitting the SEC against Ripple Labs, also heard how some victims lost their retirement savings and marriages because of the scam.

On her part, Hernandez expressed remorse for her role in the con and apologized to those it had affected. Meanwhile, the scheme’s orchestrator, Francisley Da Silva, is still in custody in Brazil.