SEC Charges WhatsApp Crypto AI Scams Allegedly Taking Over $15.3M

SEC Alleges More Than $15.3 Million Taken From Investors

Investors who transferred funds to the two online programs allegedly encountered fake returns and false assurances of SEC oversight. In fraud charges filed Sept. 29, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) named Cryptoaiml Ltd., Cryptoaiml Capital Foundation, TSAI Pro Ltd., and TSAI Capital Foundation. The agency alleges that the two schemes misappropriated more than $12.5 million and $2.8 million, respectively. It says the entities were likely operated by individuals overseas.

The two complaints describe different tactics, but each alleges that the entities invoked SEC authority to gain trust. “Although the methods used to bilk innocent investors in these fraudulent investment scams varied, the goal was the same – promise potential investors outsized returns, claim that they were legitimate entities regulated by the SEC, and then steal their money,” said David Woodcock, director of the agency’s Division of Enforcement.

Cryptoaiml allegedly built trust in WhatsApp groups by impersonating investment professionals and sharing supposed AI-generated trading signals from at least August 2024 through March 2025. The approach resembles crypto group chat tactics flagged by the SEC, including claims of expert guidance that lead investors to purported trading platforms.

Fake Profits, Withdrawal Fees, and Bots That Did Not Exist

Investors who followed Cryptoaiml’s directions allegedly transferred crypto assets to a platform that displayed profits but conducted no trades, according to the SEC. Some also signed investment management agreements that were represented to be legitimate. When investors tried to withdraw their money, the entities allegedly claimed their accounts were frozen and demanded advance fees. Fake crypto trading platforms and unexpected payment demands are recurring features of investment fraud.

TSAI Pro and TSAI Capital Foundation allegedly used WhatsApp, Facebook, and their website between September 2024 and March 2025 to promote a different program. Investors were told they could rent AI trading bots for guaranteed profits and earn money by recruiting others. The SEC alleges that the bots did not exist and that deposited funds were never used to generate returns. The agency has also charged a separate alleged AI bot investment fraud involving $12.3 million.

Cryptoaiml displayed a screenshot of a falsified Form D on its website, while TSAI posted a phony SEC certificate referencing another falsified filing. A Form D is a notice used for certain securities offerings; filing one does not mean the SEC has approved an investment. The claims of regulatory standing formed part of the alleged effort to persuade people that the programs were legitimate.

Regulators Warn About Group Chat Investment Scams

The SEC encourages people to check the background of anyone offering or selling them an investment. Its alert on investment group chats describes steps for checking whether a purported investment professional and firm are genuine. Those checks apply when someone in a messaging group claims to represent a regulated business.

State securities regulators have also described crypto investment pitches built around education foundations and AI bots. The North American Securities Administrators Association warned in March 2025 that such operations could use WhatsApp groups, claims of proprietary technology, and promises of returns to draw in investors.

New York officials have likewise warned that fake crypto projects and AI investment pitches can spread through online conversations and social platforms. In the cases filed Sept. 29, the SEC has removed the Forms D submitted by Cryptoaiml Ltd. and TSAI Pro Ltd. from its website.