Crypto mogul and former Monero lead developer, Riccardo Spagni, has been charged by the South African government with 378 counts of fraud, forgery, and an R1.5-million dispute with one of his former employers. These crimes allegedly took place between October 2009 and June 2011.

Spagni who is also known as “Fluffypony,” who resigned from his position after five years with Monero in December 2019, was arrested in Tennessee by the U.S. law enforcement after he failed to make a routine court appearance.

He was accused of cheating his former South African employer, Cape Cookies, by inflating the amount of money that was due to the supplier and keeping the balance of whatever was left to himself. To this, he pleaded not guilty.

Spagni gave up his right to an extradition hearing in the United States and requested the court to speed up his transfer to South Africa so that he may face the charges there. He faces 126 counts of fraud, 126 counts of forgery, and 126 counts of uttering.

And according to reports, attempts by Spagni’s lawyers to have the documents struck from the record were rejected.

Featured image source: watcher.guru