Do Kwon Trades Guilty Plea For a Chance At Early Redemption

Yesterday, Do Kwon’s appearance in a yellow prison jumpsuit in the court room served as a huge contrast to the previous image of a fabulous TerraForm Labs co-founder. In a surprising turn of events, Do Kwon plead guilty for two felony charges, including wire fraud and conspiracy to defraud customers, as registered in court by District Judge Paul Engelmayer.

Do Kwon Folds In Court To Cut Prison Years

Known as the algorithmic stablecoin revolutionary, nicknamed Stable Kwon, the downtrodden crypto entrepreneur was suspected to be controlling Terra’s UST stablecoin with his peers by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Basically, Kwon’s guilty plea admits that UST was not exactly pegged to $1 and the price was pumped up artificially.

With this guilty plea deal, Do Kwon is potentially cutting off his 25 years in jail conviction to 12 years. Originally, the algorithmic stablecoin posterboy’s legal team had fought a two-year extradition battle between the United States and South Korea, while Mr. Kwon pleaded not guilty on all 9 charges and awaiting trial, which was penciled for January, 2026. But not any more.

The mastermind behind TerraForm Labs decided to dodge the trial and strike a deal to pay $19 million in civil penalties with the maximum incarceration sentence of 12 years. Naturally, Kwon’s lawyer team could have left the idea of a long trial behind after the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) sent FTX’s sly boss Sam Bankman-Fried to 25 years in prison last year.

On The Flipside

• Do Kwon admitted that Terra Luna’s $50 billion market cap valuation was manufactured by a high-frequency trading firm pumping millions into buying orders.
• The court hearing applies to the United States case, but Kwon’s native South Korea’s legal authorities are also reading their own case on Terra’s 2022 implosion.

Why This Matters

Influential crypto figures are likely to be held more accountable for their actions, as Manhattan’s courts demonstrate a no-nonsense approach towards large-scale financial crimes in the crypto space.

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People Also Ask:

What did Do Kwon plead guilty to? Kwon pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and wire fraud in a New York court over the $40 billion TerraUSD collapse.

What’s the maximum sentence he faces? Kwon faces up to 25 years in prison, but prosecutors may push for a 12-year term if he accepts responsibility.

Why did TerraUSD collapse? TerraUSD’s $1 peg failed in May 2022, causing a $40 billion wipeout as Kwon misled investors about its stability.

What happens next in Kwon’s case? Sentencing is set for December 11, 2025, with a potential transfer to South Korea after half his sentence.

Did Kwon face other penalties? Yes, he agreed to a $4.55 billion SEC settlement, including an $80 million fine & a crypto transaction ban.

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