Crypto Casino Founder Charged With Fraud in New York

Richard Kim, founder of Zero Edge, a defunct “crypto casino,” was arrested and subsequently released on bail in a federal securities fraud case. After an arrest on Tuesday, Kim posted a $250,000 bond using $100,000 in cash as collateral.

Before Zero Edge, Kim had an esteemed career at major institutes like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. The Southern District of New York (SDNY) is hearing this case.

How Richard Kim’s Crypto Casino Collapsed

Before everything fell apart, Richard Kim was ostensibly a successful crypto entrepreneur. A former executive at Galaxy Digital, an attorney, and an elite trader, he left in March 2024 to found Zero Edge.

This “crypto casino” would bring classical gambling onto the blockchain, according to a recent court document:

“In particular, Kim represented to prospective investors that Zero Edge would ‘develop a number of onchain games,’ beginning with craps, and operate both a ‘free to play / social casino version of the game’ in which players could win virtual currency, as well as a real money version of the game. KIM wrote that he would serve as the ‘chief architect’ of the company,” it read.

Kim leveraged his former connections, including those at Galaxy, to raise over $7 million in seed funding. However, Kim’s casino never opened.

According to his public statements, Kim initially lost $80,000 to a phishing scam and blew through $3.8 million by chasing losses in “high-risk leveraged crypto trades.” This happened within a week of his initial funding round.

From there, he misled investors for months before finally coming clean last June, describing himself as a gambling addict. Several of the casino’s investors, including Galaxy, filed complaints that progressed to federal charges this week.

The FBI arrested Kim on charges of wire fraud and securities fraud, and he is being tried in the Southern District of New York (SDNY).

In the grand scheme of things, Kim’s aborted attempt to open a digital casino is on the smaller end of crypto crimes. Nonetheless, it’s important that the federal government actually seeks to prosecute him.

For example, the Department of Justice recently shut down its Crypto Enforcement Team and stopped investigating tumblers and exchanges. “Crime is legal now” is a growing refrain in the community, as regulators are halting all enforcement.

Even the SDNY, which is handling Kim’s casino case, claimed it would end crypto prosecutions.

This may be a small win for justice, but fresh crypto cases are being tried. Kim is currently out on bail, but he still faces repercussions for his failed casino. Whatever happens, its results will be an important data point for US crypto enforcement.