As of Mid-August, HALO’s HUMINT team
identified a Genesis Trading impersonator group
“Genesis Crypto Investment Trading”
(t.me/TRADERMARI). As of mid- August 2021, the
Telegram channel had 312 subscribers. This channel
advertised for bitcoin trading and prolifically used
customer testimonials.
The channel admin was identified as “Clifford Mariano”
(CM) using the Telegram handle, “@Tradermariano.
CM claimed that he was affiliated with the Digital
Currency Group portfolio company, Genesis Trading.
CM stated that he would trade Bitcoin on behalf of his
investors and generate profits within 12 hours of his
initial investment. He accepted bitcoin transfer only,
and no forms of wire transfers. Furthermore, there was
no website associated with this scam