DeFi trader Eisenberg arrested in Puerto Rico and charged with market manipulation offenses

The self-described game theorist admitted his role in draining Mango Market's treasury shortly after the incident in mid-October and may now be the first U.S. resident to face charges for his role in manipulating a decentralized finance (DeFi) trading market.

Eisenberg faces charges of commodities fraud and commodities manipulation. the charges could see punishments ranging from fines to prison time. 

FBI Special Agent Brandon Racz alleges Eisenberg willfully and knowingly manipulated the sale of commodities namely future contracts on Mango Markets.

Eisenberg engaged in a scheme involving the intentional and artificial manipulation of the price of perpetual futures contracts on a cryptocurrency exchange and other manipulative and deceptive devices and contrivances.

Eisenberg manipulated the price of perpetual contracts for Mango native token MNGO he sold massive amounts of MNGO perpetual contracts to himself thus pumping the price of those contracts 1300% in under an hour.

Eisenberg borrowed against the value of his position and withdrew essentially all of the cryptocurrency deposits on the Mango Markets platform he made $110 million as per the complaint.

Statement on recent events:

I was involved with a team that operated a highly profitable trading strategy last week.

— Avraham Eisenberg (@avi_eisen) October 15, 2022

Eisenberg negotiated with Mango Markets and agreed to return $67 million to the decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) governing it. Mango DAO planned to return those funds to users impacted by Eisenberg's attack.

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