Protection attorneys have requested a decide to condemn the particular person chargeable for serving to put up a pretend message saying regulatory approval of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds to roughly a yr in jail, countering prosecutors’ request for a two-year sentence.
In a Could 13 submitting within the US District Court docket for the District of Columbia, Eric Council Jr.’s authorized crew requested that he be sentenced to no multiple yr and someday in jail following his responsible plea.
Council was a part of a bunch that took management of the US Securities and Change Fee’s (SEC’s) X account in 2024 via a SIM swap assault, posting a message that prompt the regulator had authorised spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund listings for the primary time.
“A sentence of twelve months and someday serves the ends of justice,” stated the Could 13 submitting. “It sufficiently punishes the defendant for his function on this case. It additionally promotes respect for the legislation and deters future felony conduct.”
Council initially pleaded not responsible to the costs, however modified his plea to responsible in February on one rely of conspiracy to commit aggravated id theft and entry system fraud. The decide overseeing the case, Amy Berman Jackson, additionally ordered prosecutors to “establish the felony and level to the place that info will be discovered within the document” by Could 13.
Jail sentence between 1 and a pair of years?
The SEC hacker is scheduled to be sentenced on Could 16. Prosecutors requested the decide to impose a two-year sentence on Council, saying he “profited via a complicated fraud scheme.” Court docket filings confirmed he earned roughly $50,000 via related SIM swap assaults.
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Although Council’s case was seemingly winding down together with his upcoming sentencing listening to, the DC courtroom district may quickly be below new management, doubtlessly affecting the prosecution of crypto-related circumstances. On Could 8, US President Donald Trump introduced that Fox Information host Jeanine Pirro would grow to be the interim US legal professional for the District of Columbia.
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