“Bitcoin Rodney” Faces Decades in Prison as Feds Expand HyperFund Charges

The legal noose is tightening around Rodney Burton, the high-profile crypto promoter better known online as “Bitcoin Rodney.” U.S. federal prosecutors have dramatically expanded the charges against him, turning what was once a narrow case into a sweeping indictment tied to one of the largest alleged crypto frauds in recent years. If convicted, Rodeny Burton could spend decades behind bars.

At the center of the case is HyperFund, a $1.8 billion cryptocurrency scheme that prosecutors say operated for nearly four years while falsely promising guaranteed returns to investors around the world.

A Superseding Indictment Raises the Stakes

According to a superseding indictment announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, Bitcoin Rodney now faces 11 federal charges. These include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, two counts of wire fraud, seven counts of money laundering, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.

The potential penalties are severe. Each wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while each money laundering count can add up to 10 years. The unlicensed money transmission charge brings an additional five-year maximum. Collectively, the exposure marks a dramatic escalation from Burton’s original January 2024 charges, which were limited to two counts related to money transmission.

From Airport Arrest to Detention Without Bail

Rodney Burton was arrested in January 2024 at Miami International Airport while attempting to board a one-way flight to the United Arab Emirates. Federal prosecutors successfully argued that he posed an extreme flight risk, leading a judge to deny bail. He has remained in custody since.

The timing of the arrest, combined with the international nature of the HyperFund operation, has become a central theme in the government’s case as prosecutors argue Bitcoin Rodney was deeply aware of the scheme’s instability and legal exposure.

How HyperFund Allegedly Worked

Court documents allege that Rodney Burton and his co-conspirators promoted HyperFund, also known as HyperVerse, from June 2020 through May 2024. The platform was marketed as a sophisticated crypto investment opportunity offering daily returns ranging from 0.5 percent to 1 percent until investor funds doubled or even tripled.

Prosecutors say those returns were claimed to come from large-scale cryptocurrency mining operations that never existed. Instead, the scheme allegedly relied on new investor funds to pay earlier participants, a structure that began to unravel in 2021 when HyperFund started blocking withdrawals.

As the platform collapsed, the indictment claims Burton used investor funds to finance an extravagant lifestyle, including luxury condominiums, high-end sports cars, and a yacht.

Celebrity Access and Crypto Credibility

Rodeny Burton’s rise in the crypto world was fueled by visibility and access. He hosted a major crypto event in Miami in 2021 featuring Shark Tank investor Daymond John and singer Akon. He also appeared on social media alongside celebrities such as Jamie Foxx and Rick Ross, reinforcing his public image as a successful and connected crypto entrepreneur.

Prosecutors argue that this visibility helped legitimize HyperFund in the eyes of investors, many of whom trusted the platform because of Bitcoin Rodney perceived status and influence.

A Complicated Defense and Finger-Pointing

In recent court filings, Rodeny Burton has claimed that he believed HyperFund was a legitimate business. He alleges that co-founder and Australian entrepreneur Xue Lee, also known as Sam Lee, orchestrated an elaborate deception that misled not only investors but Rodney Burton himself.

That defense comes as other figures in the case face diverging outcomes. Brenda “Bitcoin Beautee” Chunga, a prominent HyperFund promoter, has already pleaded guilty. Sam Lee, meanwhile, remains at large despite being charged by U.S. authorities and the SEC with fraud and unregistered securities offerings.

What Comes Next

Bitcoin Rodney trial is scheduled for March next year, setting the stage for what could become one of the most closely watched crypto fraud cases in U.S. courts. With co-defendants pleading guilty, others still on the run, and billions in alleged investor losses, the HyperFund case continues to underscore how aggressively regulators are now pursuing large-scale crypto schemes.

What this really means is simple: the era of crypto promoters operating in legal gray zones is rapidly closing. And for “Bitcoin Rodney,” the consequences could be life-altering.