I have open question about blockchain investments, you know that product that s great for subscribing anonymously to porn sites, ransomware and laundering drug money for example.
A colleague is setting up an investment scheme where you buy into it and then ask your friends to do so as a crypto investment scheme. Having invested your money into it, your role is then to get others to invest their money into it, so that everyone has access to a bigger pot of money.
Now I know this sounds a little like a ponzi scheme, which is illegal BUT is it in fact illegal because its all based around unregulated crypto currency coins?
Is that correct? Can I setup a ponzi scheme using crypto coins legally in Switzerland?
Unless you can read your friend's mind, or he confessed the fraud before executing it, it's not possible to determine it's a Ponzi scheme yet. Of course, one can personally assess the risk and run in the opposite direction and discretely tell loved ones to run away too. However, careful with accusations in public until the motivations have revealed themselves.
No, I'd bet someone setting up a Ponzi scheme is a patient dishonest person, not an impulsive and violent one.
My concern is privacy laws in CH that clash with freedom of expression. But, I'm no lawyer, just average immigrant with poor knowledge of national languages that may misunderstand how things work in CH https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-b...eech-/47365724
What you describe does not sound like a ponzi scheme at all, since in a ponzi scheme you do not need to recruit other people. Maybe you mean a pyramid scheme?
Do your seriously think there is country in Western Europe that would legally allow you to set up a ponzi scheme???
I spent the best part of a decade as insolvency practitioner and met some weird individuals and crazy schemes, but I never met someone who actually thought there was a chance of what they intended to do, would be legal.
Your friend is not investing in blockchain, they are speculating in a currency and inviting the public to participate has consequences. If you encourage others to get involved and it goes pear shaped they would be fully justified to make a criminal complaint about you.
If you really are genuine in your query, then my advice is stay the hell away from it because the chances are you'll get burned.
Legally no, but none of these projects are because this concerns a market that is not (and cannot) be regulated. Popular nowadays are decentralized finance (DeFi) projects where investors are rewarded an APY/APR based on e.g. returns from an invested treasury, or through an unsustainable ponzi-like model.
There is no need to regulate any market, if you encouraging someone to invest in a ponzi type scheme you can expect to face a criminal complaint. The requirements to make a complaint are not very high and it is a very good stick when you need to ‘encourage’ people to cooperate with your investigation.