David Carmona, umsunguli we-cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme ebizwa ngokuthi i-IcomTech, ugwetshwe iminyaka engu-10 ejele ngokubamba iqhaza kucebo lokwenza ukukhwabanisa ngocingo. Ngokusho kweHhovisi Lommeli wase-US, uCarmona "wayeyinhloko" ngemuva kwesikimu, esaheha abantu ukuba bahlukane nemali yabo abayithola kanzima ngaphansi kwesizathu sokutshala imali ekuhwebeni kwe-cryptocurrency kanye nezimayini.
I-IcomTech yathembisa abatshalizimali bayo ukuphinda kabili inzuzo njalo ezinyangeni eziyisithupha, kodwa empeleni, akukho misebenzi yokuhweba noma yezimayini eyenziwe. Umshushisi uthi uCarmona waxhaphaza ukwethenjwa yizisulu zakhe, wabathembisa inkululeko yezezimali, kanti eqinisweni, inkampani yehlulekile ukufeza izithembiso zayo. Ngenxa yalokho, abatshalizimali abaningi balahlekelwa yikho konke ukutshalwa kwezimali kwabo.
Ukulahlekelwa okuphelele kwafinyelela cishe ku- $ 8.4 million, futhi isikimu sasebenza kusukela maphakathi no-2018 kuya ngasekupheleni kwe-2019. UCarmona nabanye abagqugquzeli babambe imicimbi eminingi e-US nakwamanye amazwe, bebonisa izimoto ezibizayo nezingubo zokunethezeka ukuqinisekisa abatshalizimali abangaba khona ngempumelelo yokutshalwa kwezimali kwabo. Lapho abatshalizimali beqala ukufuna "inzuzo" yabo, babevame ukuphikwa, ngezizathu ezihlukahlukene ezinikezwayo, kanye nokwethulwa kwemali eyengeziwe efihliwe.
Emzamweni wokuqoqa izimali eziningi, i-IcomTech yasungula ithokheni ebizwa ngokuthi "Icoms," ithi izokwamukelwa yizinkampani ezihlukahlukene, kodwa ithokheni yaphenduka cishe engenamsebenzi, okuholela abatshalizimali ukuba bathole ukulahlekelwa okukhulu nakakhulu.
UCarmona walivuma icala lokwakha itulo lokukhwabanisa ngoDisemba 2023.