SEC Accuses Bitwise's Ex-CEOs of Alleged $70 Million Deception Scheme

<p>The Former co-CEOs of Bitwise Industries Inc., a private technology services
startup based in Fresno, California, have been charged by the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) for falsifying financial documents while raising
approximately $70 million from investors in 2022. </p><p>The allegations against Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin, Jr. expose a scheme of
deception that ultimately led to the downfall of the company. The Former co-CEOs are accused of making material misrepresentations and fabricating
financial documents to mislead investors regarding Bitwise's financial health. </p><p>Bitwise's Alleged Deception Unraveled</p><p>The documents included falsified bank records and a counterfeit audit
report, both of which allegedly portrayed <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/tag/bitwise/" target="_blank" rel="follow">Bitwise</a> as a thriving business with
healthy financial performance. In reality, Bitwise was grappling with cash shortages and struggling to maintain its operations.</p><p>Monique Winkler, the Regional Director of the SEC’s
San Francisco Regional Office, mentioned: “We allege that Soberal and Olguin
resorted to blatant fraud, including the creation of fake financial documents,
to deceive investors and raise money." </p><p>"In one instance, the defendants allegedly
conspired to send a purported screenshot to investors of a company bank account
showing a cash balance of $23.4 million. In actuality, the account had only
$325,100 in it. That’s not a bank error—that’s a fraud, and the SEC is taking
action to hold the defendants accountable."</p><blockquote><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Today we announced charges against Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin, Jr., the former co-CEOs of Fresno, California-based private technology services startup Bitwise Industries Inc., for misleading investors about the company’s finances.</p>— U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (@SECGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/SECGov/status/1722687684852826151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2023</a></blockquote><p>According to the <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/tag/us-sec/" target="_blank" rel="follow">SEC</a>, the consequences of the scheme became evident in May 2023
when Bitwise was unable to meet its payroll obligations and was forced to
terminate its entire workforce of 900 employees in May.</p><p>According to the regulator’s statement, Soberal and
Olguin have reached an agreement with the SEC, subject to court approval. In a separate legal action, the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of
California has also filed criminal charges against Soberal and Olguin for alleged fraudulent activities.</p><p>The Journey from Grace to Grass</p><p>The unraveling of Bitwise left many questions
unanswered. What led to the company's sudden demise? It becomes evident that
the issues ran deeper than a simple economic downturn, differentiating
Bitwise's situation from the numerous tech companies that have faced layoffs
during challenging times, the Los Angeles Times reported.</p><p>The company's downfall was accompanied by peculiar
financial management decisions. Payroll transitioned from direct deposit to
paper checks, leading to confusion and anxiety among employees. Paychecks began
bouncing, and <a href="https://www.financemagnates.com/tag/401k/">401(k)</a> contributions went missing. </p><p>The situation continued to deteriorate as the
landlord moved to evict Bitwise from its properties in Fresno due to unpaid rent.
Despite the mounting crisis, Olguin and Soberal remained silent. Meanwhile,
former employees launched a class-action lawsuit against Bitwise, alleging
violations of labor laws and wage theft. </p>

This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.