A New York court has sentenced Antonia Perez Hernandez, a key promoter in the Forcount Ponzi scheme, to 30 months in prison. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres on January 27, after Hernandez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Hernandez, a Tampa resident, was part of a group that swindled approximately $8.4 million from investors between 2017 and 2021. The scheme involved promoting Forcount, a purported crypto trading and mining company, promising investors that their money would double within six months. However, the company was a fraud, offering access to a fake online portal that showed fabricated profits. Most investors were unable to withdraw any funds, and the few who did were paid with new investors’ money.
As complaints began to surface, Hernandez, along with co-conspirators Juan Tacuri and Nestor Nuñez, began promoting a proprietary crypto token, “Mindexcoin.” They falsely claimed the coin’s value would increase once it was accepted by mainstream merchants. The three were indicted in December 2022, alongside Forcount founder Francisley Da Silva and six others involved in a separate crypto Ponzi scheme.
Tacuri pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in June 2024, and his co-conspirators followed suit, with Tacuri receiving a 20-year sentence and forced to forfeit $3.6 million from the scam. Nuñez received a comparatively lighter sentence of four years.
During her sentencing, Hernandez was given 30 months in prison, in line with recommendations from the U.S. Attorney’s office. Judge Torres noted that while Hernandez wasn’t the mastermind behind the scheme, she played a significant role in promoting the fraudulent token.
Several victims spoke at the sentencing, sharing the emotional and financial toll of the scam, with some having lost their retirement savings and facing ruined marriages. One victim, appearing via video, expressed their devastation as they struggled with connection issues. Another victim, bound to a wheelchair, questioned how Hernandez could still live comfortably despite the harm she caused.
Hernandez expressed remorse for her actions, apologizing to the victims. Meanwhile, Francisley Da Silva, the scheme’s orchestrator, remains in custody in Brazil.
