Detroit Man Pleads Guilty in Case Involving Bitcoins
2017-05-17 · Press release
Contact: Michael J. Conley
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 780-3257
Portland, Maine: Acting United States Attorney Richard W. Murphy announced that Sal Mansy, 41, of Detroit, Michigan, and TV TOYZ, LLC, a Michigan corporation, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to operating an unlicensed money service business.
According to court documents, Mansy bought and sold approximately $2,400,000 worth of the virtual currency “Bitcoin” for profit online between August 2013 and June 2015. Mansy would funnel proceeds from his Bitcoin sales through the business bank account of TV TOYZ, a limited liability corporation he owned and operated.
A year-long investigation into Mansy’s activities culminated in June 2015 with a search of his Detroit residence and the seizure of three of his bank accounts, containing a combined total of $118,134.57.
Mansy engaged in the buying and selling of Bitcoin for profit without ever registering his money service business with federal authorities. Through this failure to register, Mansy violated Title 18, United States Code, Section 1960, which makes it a crime to transfer money for others as a business without obtaining appropriate licenses.
Mansy faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Portland, Maine and Detroit, Michigan offices of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the Saco Police Department.
- district_office
- District of Maine
- usa_name
- Richard W. Murphy
- event_type
- plea
- judge_name
- judge_title
- case_number
- max_penalty_text
- up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine
- sentence_summary
- money_amounts
- $2,400,000,$118,134.57
- crypto_assets
- Bitcoin
- statutes_json
- ["18 U.S.C. \u00a7 1960"]
- timeline_json
- {"indictment_date": null, "plea_date": null}
- press_release_url
- https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/pr/detroit-man-pleads-guilty-case-involving-bitcoins
- extras_json
| participant_id | name | role | title | organization | location | age | nationality | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2456 | Michael J. Conley | Assistant United States Attorney | Assistant United States Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office | Portland, Maine | |||
| 2457 | Richard W. Murphy | Acting United States Attorney | Acting United States Attorney | U.S. Attorney's Office | Portland, Maine | |||
| 2458 | Sal Mansy | defendant | TV TOYZ, LLC | Detroit, Michigan | 41 | pleaded guilty | ||
| 2459 | TV TOYZ, LLC | defendant | TV TOYZ, LLC | Michigan | pleaded guilty |
| agency_id | agency_name | abbreviation | role | office_location | agents_mentioned | contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1560 | United States Attorney's Office | USAO | prosecution | Portland, Maine | Prosecuted the case and announced the guilty plea. | |
| 1561 | Homeland Security Investigations | HSI | investigation | Portland, Maine | Conducted the investigation into Mansy's activities. | |
| 1562 | Homeland Security Investigations | HSI | investigation | Detroit, Michigan | Conducted the investigation into Mansy's activities. | |
| 1563 | Saco Police Department | investigation | Saco, Maine | Participated in the investigation. |
| charge_id | charge_description | statute | severity | max_penalty | fine_amount | defendant | status | participant_id | cl_docket_id | count_num | is_1960 | verified_1960 | source | updated_at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1271 | operating an unlicensed money service business | 18 U.S.C. § 1960 | five years in prison | $250,000 | Sal Mansy | pleaded guilty | 1 | enrichment | 2026-09-16T19:43:15+00:00 | |||||
| 1272 | operating an unlicensed money service business | 18 U.S.C. § 1960 | TV TOYZ, LLC | pleaded guilty | 1 | enrichment | 2026-09-16T19:43:15+00:00 |
| fin_id | action_type | amount | currency | description | asset_type | defendant | status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1210 | seizure | $118,134.57 | USD | three bank accounts | cash | Sal Mansy | completed |
| victim_id | victim_type | description | number_affected | loss_amount | geographic_scope | vulnerability_factors | impact_description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 608 | financial institution | bank accounts | 3 | 118134.57 | Detroit, Michigan | seizure of bank accounts |
| quote_id | quote_text | speaker_name | speaker_title | speaker_organization | quote_type | context | significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2475 | Mansy bought and sold approximately $2,400,000 worth of the virtual currency “Bitcoin” for profit online between August 2013 and June 2015. | U.S. Department of Justice | statement | Description of Mansy's activities | Details the extent of Mansy's Bitcoin transactions | ||
| 2476 | Mansy would funnel proceeds from his Bitcoin sales through the business bank account of TV TOYZ, a limited liability corporation he owned and operated. | U.S. Department of Justice | statement | Description of Mansy's financial activities | Explains how Mansy managed the proceeds from his Bitcoin sales | ||
| 2477 | A year-long investigation into Mansy’s activities culminated in June 2015 with a search of his Detroit residence and the seizure of three of his bank accounts, containing a combined total of $118,134.57. | U.S. Department of Justice | statement | Outcome of the investigation | Details the results of the investigation and the seizure of assets | ||
| 2478 | Mansy engaged in the buying and selling of Bitcoin for profit without ever registering his money service business with federal authorities. | U.S. Department of Justice | statement | Legal violation | Highlights the legal violation committed by Mansy | ||
| 2479 | Through this failure to register, Mansy violated Title 18, United States Code, Section 1960, which makes it a crime to transfer money for others as a business without obtaining appropriate licenses. | U.S. Department of Justice | statement | Legal violation | Specifies the legal statute violated by Mansy | ||
| 2480 | Mansy faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. | U.S. Department of Justice | statement | Sentencing details | Outlines the potential penalties Mansy faces | ||
| 2481 | The investigation was conducted by the Portland, Maine and Detroit, Michigan offices of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; and the Saco Police Department. | U.S. Department of Justice | statement | Investigation details | Identifies the agencies involved in the investigation |
| theme_id | theme_name | description | significance | related_statutes | geographic_scope | temporal_aspects | stakeholders |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1750 | Unlicensed Money Service Business | Mansy operated a money service business without federal registration, transferring Bitcoin proceeds through a business bank account. | Central to the criminal charges under 18 U.S.C. § 1960, forming the basis for prosecution. | 18 U.S.C. § 1960 | National | Historical trend | Law enforcement, Financial institutions, U.S. Probation Office |
| 1751 | Cryptocurrency | Bitcoin was used as the primary medium for $2.4 million in transactions between 2013-2015. | Key element distinguishing the case as involving digital currency and modern financial mechanisms. | National | Historical trend | Defendant, Financial institutions | |
| 1752 | Federal Investigation | A year-long investigation by DHS and local police led to seizure of bank accounts and arrest. | Demonstrates multi-jurisdictional law enforcement collaboration in financial crime cases. | National | Historical trend | Law enforcement, Defendant |
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