The alleged investment scams did not rely on sophisticated trading alone. According to US regulators, they combined AI trading bots, fake SEC credentials, and online relationships to make bogus investment platforms appear legitimate before taking at least $15.3 million (£11.6 million) from retail investors.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission alleges that Cryptoaiml Ltd., Cryptoaiml Capital Foundation, TSAI Pro Ltd., and TSAI Capital Foundation used WhatsApp, websites, and Facebook to promote supposed trading opportunities. The SEC filed two civil complaints in the Southern District of New York on 29 September 2026, alleging the schemes misappropriated more than $12.5 million (£9.5 million) and $2.8 million (£2.1 million), respectively.