HyperFund / HyperVerse
Summary
HyperFund (also marketed as HyperVerse, HyperCapital, HyperNation, and HyperTech) was a cryptocurrency investment scheme that raised approximately $1.89 billion from global investors between June 2020 and November 2022 by promising daily passive returns of 0.5–1% backed by purported large-scale crypto mining operations. The U.S. Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission both filed charges in January 2024, alleging the scheme had no legitimate mining revenues and operated as a pyramid and Ponzi structure in which new investor deposits funded earlier investors' withdrawals. Co-founder Xue 'Sam' Lee remains at large following a temporary detention in Dubai; co-promoter Rodney 'Bitcoin Rodney' Burton is held without bail with trial scheduled for September 14, 2026; and co-promoter Brenda 'Bitcoin Beautee' Chunga has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
Connected Entities
1 entities · 10 linked investigations- + 5 more
Timeline(15 events)
2019-01-01
Blockchain Global's ACX crypto exchange collapses; users begin reporting difficulty accessing funds. The company is co-directed by Sam Lee and Ryan Xu.
CryptoNews Australia: ASIC Probes Crypto Firm Blockchain Global Collapse2020-06-11
HyperFund officially launches at the Hyper Summit livestream, presented as an upgrade of HyperCapital under the HyperTech Group umbrella. Ryan Xu and Sam Lee are listed as founders.
AccessNewswire: HyperTech Group Announces Launch of HyperFund2021-01-01
Blockchain Global enters formal administration in Australia owing creditors approximately AUD $58 million.
Information Age (ACS): Aussie man charged over $2.8b crypto scheme2021-07-01
HyperFund begins blocking investor withdrawals, according to DOJ and SEC allegations.
DOJ Office of Public Affairs press release2021-12-01
HyperFund rebrands as HyperVerse and holds a launch event featuring Stephen Harrison posing as fabricated CEO 'Steven Reece Lewis.'
CoinDesk: HyperVerse's Alleged Ponzi Scheme Raked in Nearly $2B, Hired Actor as Fake CEO2022-05-01
HyperVerse/HyperFund scheme collapses; investors are no longer able to withdraw funds.
CNBC: DOJ and SEC unveil charges in $1.9 billion HyperFund cryptocurrency fraud2023-12-17
Brenda Chunga (a.k.a. Bitcoin Beautee) signs a plea agreement with the DOJ, agreeing to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud.
BehindMLM: Brenda Chunga's HyperFund criminal plea deal2024-01-24
Rodney Burton (Bitcoin Rodney) is arrested at Miami International Airport while allegedly carrying a one-way ticket to the UAE. A federal judge subsequently denies bail, citing extreme flight risk.
DOJ District of Maryland: Miami Man Indicted on Federal Wire-Fraud Conspiracy Charges2024-01-29
DOJ unseals federal indictment charging Sam Lee and Rodney Burton; announces Brenda Chunga's guilty plea. Charged amounts total approximately $1.89 billion.
DOJ Office of Public Affairs: Three Individuals Charged for Roles in $1.89B Cryptocurrency Fraud Scheme2024-01-30
SEC files civil fraud complaint against Sam Lee and Brenda Chunga for their roles in the alleged $1.7 billion HyperFund pyramid and Ponzi scheme.
SEC Press Release: SEC Charges Founder of $1.7 Billion HyperFund Crypto Pyramid Scheme2024-10-01
UAE authorities arrest Sam Lee and detain him at Dubai's Al Aweer Central Prison, reportedly pursuant to an Interpol Red Notice.
BusinessForHome: HyperFund Co-Founder Sam Lee Arrested In Dubai For $1.8 Billion Fraud2024-12-01
Sam Lee is released from Dubai detention after approximately 60 days. No formal U.S. extradition proceedings are publicly confirmed.
BehindMLM: Sam Lee detained in Dubai on Interpol arrest warrant2025-01-01
A superseding indictment expands Rodney Burton's charges from two counts to 11 federal counts, adding wire fraud and money laundering.
Cryptopolitan: Bitcoin Rodney hit with expanded charges2026-06-29
Brenda Chunga's sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for this date before Judge Richard D. Bennett in the District of Maryland (date subject to further postponement).
DOJ Criminal Division: HyperFund and Associated Cases2026-09-14
Rodney Burton's criminal trial is currently scheduled to begin on this date before Judge Richard D. Bennett in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
DOJ Criminal Division: HyperFund and Associated CasesDecision Log
- hash: GUr1uzD9UcrqaFsSwggSYbRixahBCYXXBAeLM2dcAR25
This investigation is cryptographically anchored to the Solana blockchain and source URLs are archived via the Internet Archive.
model: claude-sonnet-4-6
generated: 6/9/2026, 8:05:25 PM
last updated: 6/9/2026, 8:05:41 PM
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