Terraform Labs Founder Do Kwon Expected to Plead Guilty in U.S. Fraud Case

Do Kwon, the South Korean crypto entrepreneur behind Terraform Labs, is expected to plead guilty in a U.S. federal fraud case tied to the 2022 collapse of his digital currencies TerraUSD and Luna, which wiped out an estimated $40 billion in value.

Court records revealed on Monday that U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer scheduled a hearing for Tuesday in Manhattan after being advised that Kwon may change his plea. Kwon had previously pleaded not guilty to a nine-count indictment that included charges of securities fraud, wire fraud, commodities fraud, and money laundering conspiracy.

Kwon co-founded Singapore-based Terraform Labs and developed TerraUSD, an algorithmic stablecoin, alongside its sister token Luna. The dramatic failure of the two cryptocurrencies in 2022 triggered widespread investor losses, shook global crypto markets, and sparked heightened regulatory scrutiny of digital assets.

Neither Kwon’s legal team nor the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office have issued statements in response to the latest court developments.