Steven
Nerayoff, a prominent early advisor to the Ethereum network, has filed a $9.6
billion lawsuit against the United States government. The lawsuit, filed under
the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), alleges that federal agents knowingly
pursued false charges against Nerayoff and engaged in harassment and
intimidation tactics, including evidence fabrication.
Nerayoff was
arrested by the FBI in September 2019 alongside his associate Michael Hlady
on charges of extortion. The authorities claimed they threatened to destroy a cryptocurrency startup if it did not pay millions in ether (ETH), the native cryptocurrency of the Ethereum network. However, after a four-year legal
battle, the US government dismissed the case in May 2023.
In the newest
court filing dated last week, Nerayoff’s legal team argues that the damages
to his reputation and businesses warrant the substantial $9.6 billion lawsuit.
“Today I
have filed my Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) lawsuit suing the U.S. government
for personal damages related to false prosecution,” Nerayoff wrote on X. “It is
time we took a stand against this unrestrained corruption, for all the people
wrongly accused & to ensure justice against those who have been a part of
this.”
BREAKING: Today I have filed my Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) lawsuit suing the U.S. government for personal damages related to false prosecution. It is time we took a stand against this unrestrained corruption, for all the people wrongly accused & to ensure justice against… https://t.co/PQZjz6Ewcp
— Steven Nerayoff (@StevenNerayoff) April 9, 2024
Nerayoff, a
serial entrepreneur and blockchain
