Kwon Do Hyung and Terraform Labs have agreed to pay the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a fine of $4.47 billion. This is in response to the so-called stablecoin TerraUSD virtual asset collapse in 2022, which resulted in a $40 billion loss. A stablecoin is a virtual asset linked to the U.S. dollar.
According to Financial Times (FT) and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the SEC announced on June 12 in documents submitted to the U.S. Federal Court in Manhattan, New York, that Terraform Labs has agreed to pay a fine of $4.47 billion. Furthermore, Terraform Labs also agreed to prohibit activities related to virtual asset securities transactions.
The SEC assessed in a letter submitted to the court that if this agreement is confirmed by a judgment, investors who have suffered damage will receive the maximum compensation, and Terraform Labs will be unable to do business forever.
Previously, Terraform Labs and former CEO Kwon were found guilty by a jury of the U.S. Federal Court in Manhattan, New York, in a civil lawsuit filed by the SEC last April.
The jury sided with the SEC on allegations that they committed virtual asset fraud and caused billions of dollars in losses.
Kwon will also personally pay a fine. Terraform Labs agreed to pay $4.47 billion, and Kwon agreed to pay $240 million. Kwon is also prohibited from working or serving as a director at any listed company.
Following the agreement, Terraform Labs must obtain approval for a liquidation plan separately from Chapter 11 for bankruptcy protection from the Delaware State Court. Kwon must also send at least $240 million to the company’s bankruptcy trustee to ensure payment to investors.
