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Every state-changing event for Emerson Sousa Pires: moderation decisions on community submissions, plus corrections and updates from the news pipeline. URL-based decisions are designed to carry three independent witnesses — the original source, an Internet Archive snapshot, and a Solana memo signed by our publicly-disclosed publisher key. Archive coverage is still being backfilled, so each decision below reports its own snapshot status rather than assuming one exists.

1. #1publishby system:backfill

   2026-08-09 12:15:49Z
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   {"actor":"system:backfill","investigation_id":"2e0ff603-013f-44a5-82ea-a9c09709ed47","kind":"publish","page_slug":"emerson-sousa-pires","published_at":"2026-08-09T12:15:49.245Z","sequence_num":1,"snapshot":{"content_type":"investigation","entity_name":"Emerson Sousa Pires","sections":[{"content":"Emerson Sousa Pires is a Brazilian national who, according to the SEC's May 2022 civil complaint, co-founded MCC International Corp. — operating under the trade name Mining Capital Coin Corp. — alongside Luiz Carlos Capuci Jr. Pires served as a co-founder and co-operator of the enterprise, which was incorporated and marketed primarily to investors in the United States and internationally from at least January 2018. Separately, court filings show that beginning around late 2020, Pires co-founded Empires Consulting Corp. (doing business as EmpiresX), a second cryptocurrency investment platform, with Flavio Mendes Goncalves. Both ventures were operated from or in connection with South Florida.","heading":"Background and Roles","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"SEC Press Release 2022-81: SEC Halts Fraudulent Cryptomining and Trading Scheme","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-81"},{"credibility":1,"name":"SEC Press Release 2022-119: SEC Charges Empires Consulting Corp. with Fake Trading Scheme","type":"regulatory","url":"https://sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-119"}]},{"content":"The SEC's complaint, filed April 22, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleges that from at least January 2018, Pires and Capuci used MCC International Corp. to sell so-called 'mining packages' — characterized as unregistered securities — to approximately 65,535 investors worldwide. The packages promised a guaranteed 1 percent daily return, paid weekly over 52 weeks (an annualized rate of approximately 364 percent), purportedly derived from cryptocurrency mining, stock and forex trading, and algorithmic arbitrage. According to the SEC, MCC had no legitimate source of such returns; it operated as a Ponzi scheme in which earlier investors were paid using funds raised from later investors. The complaint alleges Pires and Capuci collectively netted at least $8.1 million from mining package sales and $3.2 million from initiation fees, with Pires personally spending approximately $10.9 million in alleged misappropriated investor funds on real estate, a Mercedes, a Harley Davidson, a Land Rover, and a Lamborghini. The SEC stated that 'Capuci and Pires took every opportunity to extract more money from unsuspecting investors on false promises of outlandish returns and used investor funds raised from this fraudulent scheme to fund a lavish lifestyle, including purchasing Lamborghinis, yachts, and real estate.' MCC also allegedly created its own cryptocurrency token, which had no independent market value. Related entities CPTLCoin Corp. and Bitchain Exchanges, controlled by Capuci, are named as co-defendants.","heading":"MCC International / Mining Capital Coin Fraud Scheme","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"SEC Press Release 2022-81: SEC Halts Fraudulent Cryptomining and Trading Scheme","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-81"},{"credibility":1,"name":"SEC v. MCC International Corp. et al.: Original Complaint (S.D. Fla. 2022)","type":"court_filing","url":"https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2022/comp-pr2022-81.pdf"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinTelegraph: Mining Capital Coin CEO accused of $62M investment fraud scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://cointelegraph.com/news/mining-capital-coin-ceo-accused-of-62m-investment-fraud-scheme"},{"credibility":2,"name":"BehindMLM: SEC sues Mining Capital Coin's Jr. Caputti & Emerson Pires","type":"news_article","url":"https://behindmlm.com/companies/sec-sues-mining-capital-coins-jr-caputti-emerson-pires/"}]},{"content":"On August 26, 2025, Judge K. Michael Moore of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a default judgment against Emerson Sousa Pires and Luiz Carlos Capuci Jr. in the amount of approximately $46.2 million in aggregate, comprising disgorgement of illicit gains, prejudgment interest, and civil monetary penalties. The default was entered after Pires failed to respond to the SEC's complaint or subsequent filings. The court had previously frozen the defendants' assets — including funds, luxury vehicles, and boats — pursuant to a temporary restraining order issued April 21, 2022. Bloomberg Law reported the judgment was entered on August 26-27, 2025, and described the defendants as crypto fugitives. A magistrate judge had earlier recommended approximately $28 million in disgorgement for the MCC scheme.","heading":"SEC Default Judgment (August 2025)","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"Bloomberg Law: Crypto Scheme Operators Ordered to Pay $46 Million in SEC Suit","type":"news_article","url":"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/crypto-scheme-operators-ordered-to-pay-46-million-in-sec-suit"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Law360: SEC Nets $46M Default Judgment In Crypto Fraud Case","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.law360.com/articles/2381552/sec-nets-46m-default-judgment-in-crypto-fraud-case"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Law360: Crypto Fugitives Should Pay SEC $46M, Judge Recommends","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.law360.com/articles/2303485/crypto-fugitives-should-pay-sec-46m-judge-recommends"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Bloomberg Law: Crypto Scheme Merits $28 Million Disgorgement, Judge Recommends","type":"news_article","url":"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/crypto-scheme-merits-28-million-disgorgement-magistrate-says"},{"credibility":2,"name":"BehindMLM: Entry of Default granted in Emerson Pires' MCC fraud case","type":"news_article","url":"https://behindmlm.com/companies/entry-of-default-granted-in-emerson-pires-mcc-fraud-case/"}]},{"content":"In a separate matter, beginning around September 2020, Pires and Flavio Mendes Goncalves co-founded EmpiresX (operated through Empires Consulting Corp., a Florida corporation), which allegedly raised at least $40 to $41.6 million from more than 12,500 investors. EmpiresX was promoted as a cryptocurrency investment platform that generated daily returns of 1 percent through a proprietary algorithmic trading 'bot' and the manual trading of a designated 'Head Trader,' Joshua David Nicholas. According to the SEC and CFTC complaints filed June 30, 2022, the trading bot was fake, the manual trading generated significant losses, and investor funds were misappropriated for personal expenditures including leasing a Lamborghini, purchases at Tiffany & Co., and payments on real estate. Pires and Goncalves allegedly laundered investor funds through a foreign-based cryptocurrency exchange, and paid earlier investors using funds from later investors in a Ponzi-style arrangement. By November 2021, the defendants had allegedly stopped honoring investor withdrawal requests.","heading":"EmpiresX Fraud Scheme","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"SEC Press Release 2022-119: SEC Charges Empires Consulting Corp. with Fake Trading Scheme","type":"regulatory","url":"https://sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-119"},{"credibility":1,"name":"CFTC Press Release 8551-22: CFTC Charges Commodity Pool Operators with Fraudulently Soliciting Over $41.6 Million","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/8551-22"},{"credibility":1,"name":"CFTC Press Release 9045-25: Florida Court Orders Brazilian Nationals to Pay Over $128 Million","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9045-25"}]},{"content":"On June 30, 2022, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned a criminal indictment against Emerson Pires (age 33, Brazilian national) and Flavio Goncalves (age 33, Brazilian national) and Joshua David Nicholas (age 28, of Stuart, Florida). The indictment charges all three defendants with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud in connection with the EmpiresX scheme, which allegedly generated approximately $100 million in investor losses. The indictment additionally charges Pires and Goncalves with conspiracy to commit international money laundering. If convicted on all counts, Pires faces up to 45 years in prison. As of available reporting through 2025, Pires and Goncalves remained at large in Brazil and had not been extradited, while Nicholas pleaded guilty separately. Note: a separate criminal indictment was filed by DOJ against Capuci in connection with the MCC International scheme; available public reporting does not confirm a parallel criminal indictment of Pires specifically in the MCC matter, though he faces civil SEC liability in that case.","heading":"Criminal Indictment (EmpiresX)","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ USAO-SDFL: Three Men Charged in $100 Million Cryptocurrency Fraud","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/three-men-charged-100-million-cryptocurrency-fraud"},{"credibility":2,"name":"OffshoreAlert: USA v. Emerson Pires et al: Criminal Indictment","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.offshorealert.com/usa-v-emerson-pires-et-al-criminal-indictment/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"ICE/HSI: HSI efforts contribute to DOJ charges of cryptocurrency fraud","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hsi-efforts-contribute-doj-charges-cryptocurrency-fraud-offenses-6-individuals-cases"},{"credibility":2,"name":"ACFE: Crypto Platform Head Trader Pleads Guilty in $100 Million Ponzi Scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.acfe.com/acfe-insights-blog/blog-detail?s=crypto-platform-head-trader-pleads-guilty-in-100-million-ponzi-scheme"}]},{"content":"On February 4, 2025, Judge Cecilia Altonaga of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a default judgment in the CFTC's EmpiresX civil enforcement action. The order requires Emerson Pires and Flavio Goncalves to pay, jointly and severally, more than $32 million in disgorgement and more than $96 million in civil monetary penalties, totaling approximately $128 million. The court additionally imposed permanent injunctions barring Pires from violating the Commodity Exchange Act and permanently banned him from registering with the CFTC or trading in any CFTC-regulated markets. The judgment was entered on default after Pires and Goncalves failed to respond to the CFTC's complaint.","heading":"CFTC Default Judgment — EmpiresX (February 2025)","severity":"critical","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"CFTC Press Release 9045-25: Florida Court Orders Brazilian Nationals to Pay Over $128 Million","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9045-25"},{"credibility":1,"name":"CFTC Order: Emerson Pires et al. (February 4, 2025)","type":"court_filing","url":"https://www.cftc.gov/media/11771/enfemersonpiresorder020425/download"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Finance Magnates: These Traders Fooled 12,500 People, Now Must Pay $128 Million","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/regulation/these-traders-fooled-12500-people-now-must-pay-128-million/"}]},{"content":"According to multiple reporting sources, Pires invoked Fifth Amendment rights when questioned about MCC's trading operations during SEC testimony and subsequently fled to Brazil around early 2022 following the SEC civil action. Brazilian law prohibits extradition of Brazilian citizens, and the U.S. Department of Justice filed a notice in 2022 to transfer Pires and Goncalves to fugitive status in the EmpiresX criminal case. On September 13, 2023, Brazilian Federal Police conducted Operation Yang, mobilizing over 100 officers to execute 25 search and seizure warrants and two arrest warrants across multiple Brazilian states including DF, GO, SC, MS, PR, RS, SP, and ES. Reports indicate Pires was arrested at a rental property in Florianopolis, with authorities seizing jewelry, electronics, phones, and vehicles. The Brazilian investigation, which began in August 2022, focuses on alleged money laundering amounting to approximately R$300 million derived from financial crimes committed across multiple countries including the United States, South Korea, and Brazil. Brazilian authorities reportedly blocked 52 properties and froze bank accounts. As of available reporting, Pires remained in Brazil and had not been extradited to face U.S. criminal charges.","heading":"Flight to Brazil and Brazilian Proceedings","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":2,"name":"BehindMLM: Mining Capital Coin arrests and seizures in Brazil","type":"news_article","url":"https://behindmlm.com/companies/empiresx/mining-capital-coin-arrests-seizures-in-brazil/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"BehindMLM: SEC sues Mining Capital Coin's Jr. Caputti & Emerson Pires","type":"news_article","url":"https://behindmlm.com/companies/sec-sues-mining-capital-coins-jr-caputti-emerson-pires/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Protos: Crypto mining boss faces 45 years in jail for alleged $62M pyramid scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://protos.com/crypto-mining-boss-faces-45-years-in-jail-for-alleged-62m-pyramid-scheme/"}]},{"content":"Pires is connected to the following entities named in SEC and CFTC enforcement actions: MCC International Corp. (doing business as Mining Capital Coin Corp.) — the primary vehicle for the alleged $62 million cryptomining Ponzi scheme; CPTLCoin Corp. — a related entity controlled by co-founder Capuci; Bitchain Exchanges — a second related entity controlled by Capuci; and Empires Consulting Corp. (doing business as EmpiresX) — the vehicle for the separate alleged $100 million cryptocurrency trading scheme. Users who encountered any of these entities, or who were solicited through associated recruitment networks, may have exposure to the schemes attributed to Pires.","heading":"Related Entities","severity":"high","sources":[{"credibility":1,"name":"SEC Press Release 2022-81","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-81"},{"credibility":1,"name":"SEC Press Release 2022-119","type":"regulatory","url":"https://sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-119"}]}],"sources_used":[{"credibility":1,"name":"SEC Press Release 2022-81: SEC Halts Fraudulent Cryptomining and Trading Scheme","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-81"},{"credibility":1,"name":"SEC v. MCC International Corp. et al.: Original Complaint","type":"court_filing","url":"https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2022/comp-pr2022-81.pdf"},{"credibility":1,"name":"SEC Press Release 2022-119: SEC Charges Empires Consulting Corp. with Fake Trading Scheme","type":"regulatory","url":"https://sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-119"},{"credibility":1,"name":"CFTC Press Release 9045-25: Florida Court Orders Brazilian Nationals to Pay Over $128 Million","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9045-25"},{"credibility":1,"name":"CFTC Order: Emerson Pires et al. (February 4, 2025)","type":"court_filing","url":"https://www.cftc.gov/media/11771/enfemersonpiresorder020425/download"},{"credibility":1,"name":"DOJ USAO-SDFL: Three Men Charged in $100 Million Cryptocurrency Fraud","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/three-men-charged-100-million-cryptocurrency-fraud"},{"credibility":1,"name":"ICE/HSI: HSI efforts contribute to DOJ charges of cryptocurrency fraud","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/hsi-efforts-contribute-doj-charges-cryptocurrency-fraud-offenses-6-individuals-cases"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Bloomberg Law: Crypto Scheme Operators Ordered to Pay $46 Million in SEC Suit","type":"news_article","url":"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/crypto-scheme-operators-ordered-to-pay-46-million-in-sec-suit"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Bloomberg Law: Crypto Scheme Merits $28 Million Disgorgement, Judge Recommends","type":"news_article","url":"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/business-and-practice/crypto-scheme-merits-28-million-disgorgement-magistrate-says"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Law360: SEC Nets $46M Default Judgment In Crypto Fraud Case","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.law360.com/articles/2381552/sec-nets-46m-default-judgment-in-crypto-fraud-case"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Law360: Crypto Fugitives Should Pay SEC $46M, Judge Recommends","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.law360.com/articles/2303485/crypto-fugitives-should-pay-sec-46m-judge-recommends"},{"credibility":2,"name":"CoinTelegraph: Mining Capital Coin CEO accused of $62M investment fraud scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://cointelegraph.com/news/mining-capital-coin-ceo-accused-of-62m-investment-fraud-scheme"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Finance Magnates: These Traders Fooled 12,500 People, Now Must Pay $128 Million","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.financemagnates.com/forex/regulation/these-traders-fooled-12500-people-now-must-pay-128-million/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"BehindMLM: SEC sues Mining Capital Coin's Jr. Caputti & Emerson Pires","type":"news_article","url":"https://behindmlm.com/companies/sec-sues-mining-capital-coins-jr-caputti-emerson-pires/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"BehindMLM: Entry of Default granted in Emerson Pires' MCC fraud case","type":"news_article","url":"https://behindmlm.com/companies/entry-of-default-granted-in-emerson-pires-mcc-fraud-case/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"BehindMLM: Mining Capital Coin arrests and seizures in Brazil","type":"news_article","url":"https://behindmlm.com/companies/empiresx/mining-capital-coin-arrests-seizures-in-brazil/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Protos: Crypto mining boss faces 45 years in jail for alleged $62M pyramid scheme","type":"news_article","url":"https://protos.com/crypto-mining-boss-faces-45-years-in-jail-for-alleged-62m-pyramid-scheme/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"Willkie Compliance Concourse: DOJ, SEC, CFTC bring criminal and civil charges","type":"news_article","url":"https://complianceconcourse.willkie.com/articles/news-alerts-2022-07-july-20220701-doj-sec-cftc-bring-criminal-and-civil/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"OffshoreAlert: SEC v. Mining Capital Coin et al: Complaint","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.offshorealert.com/sec-v-cptlcoin-et-al-complaint-crypto-based-investment-fraud/"},{"credibility":2,"name":"OffshoreAlert: USA v. Emerson Pires et al: Criminal Indictment","type":"news_article","url":"https://www.offshorealert.com/usa-v-emerson-pires-et-al-criminal-indictment/"},{"credibility":1,"name":"Whistleblower.gov: Amended Notice of Covered Action 2024-005 — EmpiresX","type":"regulatory","url":"https://www.whistleblower.gov/notices/2024-005"}],"summary":"Emerson Sousa Pires is a Brazilian national and co-founder of MCC International Corp. (doing business as Mining Capital Coin), who faces a $46.2 million SEC default judgment entered August 26, 2025, alongside co-founder Luiz Carlos Capuci Jr. for operating an alleged crypto mining Ponzi scheme that defrauded approximately 65,535 investors. Pires is separately charged criminally and faces additional civil enforcement by the CFTC arising from a second fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platform, EmpiresX, through which he allegedly defrauded over 12,500 additional investors. He has reportedly fled to Brazil, where Brazilian law prohibits extradition of citizens, though Brazilian federal authorities conducted arrests in connection with parallel domestic proceedings in September 2023.","timeline":[{"date":"2018-01-01","event":"MCC International Corp. (Mining Capital Coin) allegedly begins selling fraudulent mining packages to investors, promising 1% daily returns. Pires and Capuci are co-founders.","source":"SEC Complaint, S.D. Fla. (filed April 22, 2022)","source_url":"https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2022/comp-pr2022-81.pdf"},{"date":"2020-09-01","event":"Pires and Goncalves launch EmpiresX (Empires Consulting Corp.) in South Florida, soliciting investors for an alleged cryptocurrency trading platform using a purported algorithmic 'bot'.","source":"CFTC Press Release 9045-25","source_url":"https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9045-25"},{"date":"2021-11-01","event":"EmpiresX stops honoring investor withdrawal requests.","source":"CFTC Order: Emerson Pires et al.","source_url":"https://www.cftc.gov/media/11771/enfemersonpiresorder020425/download"},{"date":"2022-04-21","event":"U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida issues a temporary restraining order and asset freeze against MCC International Corp., Capuci, and Pires following SEC complaint.","source":"SEC Press Release 2022-81","source_url":"https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-81"},{"date":"2022-04-22","event":"SEC files civil fraud complaint against MCC International Corp., Emerson Sousa Pires, Luiz Carlos Capuci Jr., CPTLCoin Corp., and Bitchain Exchanges.","source":"SEC Press Release 2022-81","source_url":"https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-81"},{"date":"2022-05-09","event":"DOJ announces criminal indictment of Luiz Carlos Capuci Jr. in connection with the MCC Mining Capital Coin scheme, alleging a $62 million fraud.","source":"CoinTelegraph: Mining Capital Coin CEO accused of $62M investment fraud scheme","source_url":"https://cointelegraph.com/news/mining-capital-coin-ceo-accused-of-62m-investment-fraud-scheme"},{"date":"2022-06-30","event":"DOJ, SEC, and CFTC file parallel criminal and civil charges against Pires, Goncalves, and Nicholas in connection with the EmpiresX scheme, alleging approximately $100 million in investor losses.","source":"DOJ USAO-SDFL: Three Men Charged in $100 Million Cryptocurrency Fraud","source_url":"https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/three-men-charged-100-million-cryptocurrency-fraud"},{"date":"2022-07-01","event":"SEC formally announces charges against Empires Consulting Corp., Pires, Goncalves, and Nicholas via press release 2022-119.","source":"SEC Press Release 2022-119","source_url":"https://sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-119"},{"date":"2022-07-01","event":"DOJ files notice transferring Pires and Goncalves to fugitive status in the EmpiresX criminal case after they flee to Brazil.","source":"Willkie Compliance Concourse: DOJ, SEC, CFTC bring criminal and civil charges against six individuals","source_url":"https://complianceconcourse.willkie.com/articles/news-alerts-2022-07-july-20220701-doj-sec-cftc-bring-criminal-and-civil/"},{"date":"2023-09-13","event":"Brazilian Federal Police conduct Operation Yang, executing 25 search and seizure warrants and two arrest warrants across multiple states. Reports indicate Pires was arrested in Florianopolis.","source":"BehindMLM: Mining Capital Coin arrests and seizures in Brazil","source_url":"https://behindmlm.com/companies/empiresx/mining-capital-coin-arrests-seizures-in-brazil/"},{"date":"2025-02-04","event":"CFTC obtains default judgment against Pires and Goncalves in the EmpiresX case: jointly and severally ordered to pay more than $32 million in disgorgement and more than $96 million in civil monetary penalties (approximately $128 million total). Permanent trading and registration bans imposed.","source":"CFTC Press Release 9045-25","source_url":"https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/9045-25"},{"date":"2025-08-26","event":"Judge K. Michael Moore enters approximately $46.2 million default judgment against Pires and Capuci in the SEC's MCC International / Mining Capital Coin civil enforcement action.","source":"Bloomberg Law: Crypto Scheme Operators Ordered to Pay $46 Million in SEC Suit","source_url":"https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/crypto-scheme-operators-ordered-to-pay-46-million-in-sec-suit"}]},"v":1}

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   python -m src.verify_decision 63c7806f-0f54-4c0e-be4d-fc053f00156ccopy