In a lesson to everyone that the use of foolish monikers will come back to haunt you, Kais Mohammad, 36, a.k.a. “Superman29,” has met his Kryptonite - the U.S. Department of Justice. In a plea agreement Superman29 agreed to plead guilty to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, one count of money laundering, and one count of failure to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program.
Over five years, Superman29 operated Herocoin, an illegal virtual-currency money services business that included a Bitcoin-cash exchange service that charged commissions of up to 25 percent. Superman29 purchased and advertised on the internet a network of Bitcoin ATM-type kiosks located in malls, gas stations and convenience stores. These kiosks allowed customers to use cash to buy Bitcoin, an Internet-based cryptocurrency, or sell Bitcoin in exchange for cash that is dispensed onsite. Superman29 failed to register his company with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
Superman29 is expected to plead guilty to the charges at a hearing in the coming weeks. Upon pleading guilty, he will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.