Georgia man deported from Fiji to face $165m crypto Ponzi scheme charges
Edward Zimbardi, 59, who had fled US, will appear in court in Los Angeles on wire fraud and money-laundering charges A man from Flowery Branch, Georgia , has been deported from Fiji to face charges in his home state accusing him of defrauding more than 6,000 investors and causing more than $165m of losses in a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, the US attorney in Atlanta said on Monday. Edward…
Edward Zimbardi, a 59-year-old man from Flowery Branch, Georgia, has been deported from Fiji to face charges in the United States related to a cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that allegedly defrauded over 6,000 investors of more than $165 million. Zimbardi appeared in a Los Angeles court on wire fraud, money laundering, and money-laundering conspiracy charges.
Prosecutors alleged that Zimbardi deceived investors by promising a guaranteed 25% monthly return on an initial $550 investment in The Crypto Program. Instead, Zimbardi allegedly lost millions betting on foreign currency and spent at least $10 million on personal expenses. He reportedly repaid earlier investors with new funds. Zimbardi fled to Fiji in July 2025 following an FBI investigation and skipped his son's wedding in Virginia.
US Attorney Theodore Hertzberg stated that Zimbardi left behind victims worldwide. Zimbardi is expected to make an initial court appearance in Los Angeles.
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