SEC v. Justin Sun; Tron Foundation Limited; BitTorrent Foundation Ltd.; Rainberry, Inc.; and DeAndre Cortez Way, No. LR-26496, Southern District of New York (Mar. 5, 2026) — Press Release
raw: Justin Sun, Tron Foundation Limited, BitTorrent Foundation Ltd., Rainberry, Inc., and DeAndre Cortez Way
Justin Sun, Tron Foundation Limited, BitTorrent Foundation Ltd., Rainberry, Inc., and DeAndre Cortez Way, No. 1:23-cv-02433 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 5, 2026)
Rainberry, Inc. settled SEC wash trading claims regarding the TRX crypto asset by agreeing to a $10 million penalty and a permanent injunction.
Rainberry, Inc. reached a settlement with the SEC to resolve allegations of facilitating wash trading for the TRX crypto asset in 2018 and 2019. The company will pay a $10 million civil penalty and face a permanent injunction for violating Section 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act. This global resolution also dismisses all remaining claims against Rainberry and the other Tron Defendants, including Justin Sun.
The SEC filed a proposed final judgment to settle claims against Rainberry, Inc. and the 'Tron Defendants,' which include Justin Sun, Tron Foundation Limited, and BitTorrent Foundation Ltd. The litigation alleged that Rainberry facilitated wash trading in 2018 and 2019 to artificially inflate the trading volume of the TRX cryptocurrency. To resolve the Section 17(a)(3) violation, Rainberry agreed to a $10 million civil penalty and a permanent injunction without admitting or denying the allegations. The settlement results in the dismissal, with prejudice, of all remaining claims against Rainberry and the other Tron Defendants. Additionally, the SEC voluntarily dismissed its claim against DeAndre Cortez Way regarding Section 17(b) violations. The final judgment remains subject to court approval in the Southern District of New York.
Exhibits & Attached Documents (1)
Extracted insights
- $10.00M $10 million $10M–$100M
- organization BitTorrent Foundation Ltd.
- person Deandre Cortez Way
- person Justin Sun
- organization Rainberry, Inc.
- agency Securities and Exchange Commission
- person tron defendants
- organization Tron Foundation Limited
- Securities And Exchange Commission filed proposed final judgment against Rainberry, Inc., Justin Sun, Tron Foundation Limited, and BitTorrent Foundation Ltd.
- Securities And Exchange Commission alleged Rainberry facilitated wash trading to artificially inflate the trading volume of the crypto asset TRX in 2018 and 2019
- Tron Defendants consented to entry of a final judgment that would permanently enjoin Rainberry from violating Section 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act and order Rainberry to pay a $10 million civil penalty
- Securities And Exchange Commission filed notice of voluntary dismissal against DeAndre Cortez Way for violations of Section 17(b) of the Securities Act
- Rainberry facilitated wash trading to artificially inflate the trading volume of TRX
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONLitigation Release No. 26496 / March 5, 2026Securities and Exchange Commission v. Justin Sun, et al., No. 1:23-cv-02433 (S.D.N.Y. filed Mar. 22, 2023)SEC Files Proposed Settlement with Respect to Wash Trading Claims Against Rainberry, Inc.; Dismisses All Remaining ClaimsToday, as part of a global resolution, the SEC filed a proposed final judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York as to the Commission’s claims against Rainberry, Inc., Justin Sun, Tron Foundation Limited, and BitTorrent Foundation Ltd. (the “Tron Defendants”). If approved by the court, the proposed final judgment would settle the Commission’s claim against Rainberry related to wash trading in violation of Section 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, and dismiss, with prejudice, the Commission’s remaining claims against Rainberry and all claims against the other Tron Defendants.The SEC’s complaint, filed in March 2023 and amended in April 2024, alleged that in 2018 and 2019, Rainberry facilitated wash trading to artificially inflate the trading volume of the crypto asset “TRX.” As described in the amended complaint, wash trading generally refers to trades that occur without a change in beneficial ownership, creating the false perception of market activity that does not reflect the true supply and demand for the securities.Without admitting or denying the Commission’s allegations as to Rainberry with respect to the settled claim, the Tron Defendants consented to the entry of a final judgment, subject to court approval, that would permanently enjoin Rainberry from violating Section 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act and order Rainberry to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $10 million.The Commission also filed a notice of voluntary dismissal as to the pending claim for violations of Section 17(b) of the Securities Act against DeAndre Cortez Way. As stated in the notice of dismissal, “[t]he SEC’s decision to seek dismissal of this enforcement action is an exercise of its discretion and does not necessarily reflect the SEC’s position on any other case.”
U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONLitigation Release No. 26496 / March 5, 2026Securities and Exchange Commission v. Justin Sun, et al., No. 1:23-cv-02433 (S.D.N.Y. filed Mar. 22, 2023)SEC Files Proposed Settlement with Respect to Wash Trading Claims Against Rainberry, Inc.; Dismisses All Remaining ClaimsToday, as part of a global resolution, the SEC filed a proposed final judgment in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York as to the Commission’s claims against Rainberry, Inc., Justin Sun, Tron Foundation Limited, and BitTorrent Foundation Ltd. (the “Tron Defendants”). If approved by the court, the proposed final judgment would settle the Commission’s claim against Rainberry related to wash trading in violation of Section 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, and dismiss, with prejudice, the Commission’s remaining claims against Rainberry and all claims against the other Tron Defendants.The SEC’s complaint, filed in March 2023 and amended in April 2024, alleged that in 2018 and 2019, Rainberry facilitated wash trading to artificially inflate the trading volume of the crypto asset “TRX.” As described in the amended complaint, wash trading generally refers to trades that occur without a change in beneficial ownership, creating the false perception of market activity that does not reflect the true supply and demand for the securities.Without admitting or denying the Commission’s allegations as to Rainberry with respect to the settled claim, the Tron Defendants consented to the entry of a final judgment, subject to court approval, that would permanently enjoin Rainberry from violating Section 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act and order Rainberry to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $10 million.The Commission also filed a notice of voluntary dismissal as to the pending claim for violations of Section 17(b) of the Securities Act against DeAndre Cortez Way. As stated in the notice of dismissal, “[t]he SEC’s decision to seek dismissal of this enforcement action is an exercise of its discretion and does not necessarily reflect the SEC’s position on any other case.”