Paxful Co-Founder Faces Potential 5-Year Prison Sentence

Co-founder and former chief technology officer of Paxful, Artur Schaback, may spend up to five years in prison after he admitted on Monday that he had planned to forego putting in place a strong Anti-Money Laundering (AML) program at the cryptocurrency exchange.

On July 8, the US Justice Department declared that Schaback’s sentencing would take place on November 4. Furthermore, he is going to step down from his role on Paxful’s board. A plea deal that was presented to a California District Court said that the prosecution suggested a $5 million fine. In the event that Schaback enters a guilty plea, he will be required to pay $1 million, $3 million at sentencing, and the remaining $1 million within two years.

Failure to Implement Compliance Programs

Charges from late March revealed that Schaback and an unnamed co-conspirator, referred to as Paxful’s “President and Chief Executive Officer,” failed to establish an effective AML program within 90 days of the company’s inception, as required by the Bank Secrecy Act. Additionally, Schaback neglected to create a Know Your Customer (KYC) program, essential for verifying user identities by collecting basic information such as name, birth date, and address.

The Justice Department emphasized that Schaback’s failure to implement AML and KYC programs allowed Paxful to become a hub for money laundering, sanctions violations, and various criminal activities including fraud, romance scams, extortion, and prostitution. Between July 2015 and June 2019, Schaback and his co-conspirator allowed users to create Paxful accounts and engage in trades without providing sufficient identifying information or documents for verification.

Paxful marketed itself as a platform that did not require KYC, allowing purchases without ID, according to the filing. When third parties requested an AML policy, Schaback and his co-conspirator presented a policy plagiarized from another institution, knowing it was neither implemented nor enforced. This deceptive practice contributed to the platform’s misuse for illegal activities.

Schaback’s admission of guilt and the subsequent legal actions underscore the importance of compliance in the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency industry. Paxful’s failure to implement necessary safeguards highlights the potential risks and consequences for companies neglecting regulatory requirements.