Convict in ‘Undead Apes’ NFT Scheme Takes Life Days Earlier than Sentencing

Berman Jerry Nowlin, a 21-year-old convicted for his position in a $135,000 NFT “rug pull” scheme, died by suicide on December 21, 2024, at his dwelling in Alabama, simply weeks earlier than his sentencing.

His household confirmed his dying to the Tampa Bay Instances on Thursday, describing their heartbreak over the tragic loss.

The younger man’s dying occurred as he awaited sentencing, which was scheduled for January.

Nowlin confronted federal expenses of wire fraud and cash laundering for his involvement in a scheme that defrauded traders via a fraudulent cryptocurrency mission.

How the Undead Apes NFT Rip-off Unfolded

Prosecutors alleged that Nowlin labored with Devin Rhoden, a senior airman stationed at MacDill Air Drive Base in Tampa and a childhood pal, to orchestrate the rip-off.

The fraudulent scheme centered round a cryptocurrency mission that included the creation and promotion of an NFT assortment named “Undead Tombstone,” which was marketed alongside the Undead Apes NFT assortment to lure traders.

The indictment revealed that the duo satisfied tons of of victims to take a position tens of hundreds of {dollars} in cryptocurrency, promising substantial returns.

Nevertheless, these guarantees turned out to be baseless. When traders realized the mission’s claims have been false, the scheme unraveled, triggering an investigation that led to the arrests of each Nowlin and Rhoden.

A Tampa jury discovered the 2 males responsible of a number of expenses, holding them accountable for his or her roles within the monetary crime.

A Tragic Finish Earlier than Sentencing

Whereas awaiting sentencing, Nowlin’s sudden dying has added a tragic flip to an already grim case.

His household expressed their heartbreak, noting that he was scuffling with the load of his conviction and the approaching punishment.

The precise circumstances of his dying stay unclear, however his household confirmed it was a suicide.

The costs Nowlin confronted carried extreme penalties, together with substantial jail time.

Prosecutors had highlighted the betrayal of belief concerned within the fraud, as traders had positioned their confidence within the mission, solely to be deceived.

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