The Department of Justice has alerted the public to an increase in cryptocurrency fraud schemes, following the sentencing of Ismael Rodríguez Torres in Arecibo for illegally appropriating $25,000 from a Manatí doctor through a false promise of investment in supposed emerald mines in Brazil. Rodríguez Torres was sentenced to eight years of probation by the Arecibo Court of First Instance and ordered to restitution of $25,000 to the affected party. According to prosecutor Naydik J.
Ramos Montesinos, director of the Cybercrime Investigative Unit (UICC), Rodríguez Torres fraudulently solicited investment in cryptocurrencies under the promise of generating thousands of dollars in gains through the supposed emerald mines. This scheme is known internationally as Pietra Verdí. The UICC investigates monthly complaints related to fraud using digital platforms, social media, and cryptocurrencies to deceive victims.
Justice Secretary Lourdes L. Gómez Torres stated that these schemes have a significant impact on victims, particularly due to the economic losses they cause.