On September 2, 2025, New Zealand’s Financial Markets Authority (FMA) issued a fraud warning against Crown Bankers, an unregistered entity falsely claiming compliance with New Zealand regulations, per FMA’s official alerts. The FMA urges investors to exercise caution, noting that Crown Bankers offers investment plans in crypto, solar, EVs, and recruitment without the required Financial Service Providers Register (FSPR) authorization. Reports indicate client funds are being withheld, a hallmark of potential scams, per.
Crown Bankers, launched in mid-2024, operates as an MLM crypto Ponzi scheme fronted by actors, including a sole Boris CEO figure named Adrian Cadiz, per. The FMA highlighted Cadiz’s YouTube videos making false claims of regulation in New Zealand, misleading investors into depositing funds. Social media suggests ties to Indian scammers, with a staged marketing event uploaded three months ago appearing managed from India, per. The scheme’s website traffic was too low for measurement in August 2025, and its official Facebook page’s last post was on September 22, 2025, signaling possible collapse, per.
The FMA’s warning aligns with its crackdown on investment scams, including TXEX-linked crypto frauds using WhatsApp and fake platforms, per. Pyramid schemes like Crown Bankers are illegal in New Zealand, with penalties for promotion or operation, per. The FMA has issued multiple alerts in 2025 for unregistered entities misusing NZ details, such as Mannez Capital Limited displaying fraudulent certificates, per. Investors are advised to verify providers on the FSPR at fsp-register.companiesoffice.govt.nz, per.
Crown Bankers’ exposure underscores risks in unregulated MLM crypto schemes, potentially leading to fund losses for victims. Bitcoin (BTC) at $113,234 and Ethereum (ETH) at $4,070 remain stable, but such scams erode trust in DeFi, per CoinMarketCap. Investors should report suspicions to the FMA at fma.govt.nz/report-a-scam and avoid platforms promising high returns without FSPR registration, per. Diversify into verified assets like USDC with stop-losses below BTC’s $112,000, per TradingView. Follow @TheBlock__ on X for global updates.
