Celsius ex-executives ordered to pay $6.5M in FTC settlement

Two former executives of the failed cryptocurrency lender Celsius Network have been ordered to pay a combined $6.5 million to settle fraud allegations brought by the Federal Trade Commission. The settlements with co-founders Shlomi Daniel Leon and Hanoch "Nuke" Goldstein, announced on July 21, 2026, conclude the FTC's enforcement actions against the three founders named in its 2023 complaint.

Leon, the former chief strategy officer, was ordered to pay $4.1 million under a court order entered on June 29. Goldstein, the former chief technology officer, was ordered to pay $2.4 million under an order signed on July 20. The payments bring the total from the three co-founders to $16.5 million, following former CEO Alex Mashinsky's $10 million settlement with the FTC in April.

The settlements resolve allegations that the executives misled customers about the safety and management of assets deposited with Celsius. The FTC alleged the company falsely told customers they could withdraw funds at any time, that it held sufficient reserves, and that it maintained a $750 million insurance policy. Regulators contended these claims were false, stating Celsius had extended $1.2 billion in...