meta_id 3400227

On August 11, 2026, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida against Goliath Ventures Inc. and its chief executive, Christopher Delgado, a Florida resident. The CFTC alleges the defendants operated a Ponzi scheme by fraudulently soliciting and accepting funds from the public for crypto-asset trading, including bitcoin and ether. According to the complaint, the defendants misappropriated all customer funds despite representing that they would trade these assets. The scheme involved paying fictitious profits to existing customers, funding Delgado's personal lifestyle, and falsely guaranteeing the return of principal investments and profits. The defendants also issued false account statements reflecting nonexistent profits. Approximately 1,600 customers contributed at least $397 million to the fraud. The CFTC seeks restitution, disgorgement, civil monetary penalties, trading and registration bans, and a permanent injunction against further violations of the Commodity Exchange Act and CFTC regulations. This enforcement action is part of a coordinated multi-agency response. In June 2026, Delgado pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges brought by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. On the same day as the CFTC's action, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a parallel civil action against Delgado and Goliath for their roles in the fraud. The CFTC coordinated with both the U.S. Attorney's Office and the SEC on this matter. REFERENCES: Commodity Futures Trading Commission. "CFTC Charges Goliath Ventures Inc. and CEO with $400 Million Fraud Scheme." Press Release 9280-26, August 11, 2026. Available at: https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9280-26