Share this article
Promoters of Rapper TI's 2017 ICO Ordered to Pay $103K Penalty
The associates are also barred from selling digital securities for five years.
By Danny Nelson
Updated Sep 14, 2021, 10:32 a.m. Published Nov 18, 2020, 9:14 p.m.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) prosecution of rapper T.I.'s 2017 initial coin offering (ICO) has netted $103,000 in court-ordered fines and penalties for the agency, this time from associates of the Atlanta-based act.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters
Defendants Chance White, Owen Smith and William Sparks were all named in the original September FLiK ICO suit for alleged securities law violations and for boosting the coin without disclosing their ties. Eight individuals were charged in September and seven quickly agreed to settle, including White, Smith and Sparks.
The trio on Tuesday consented to the final terms of their penalty without admitting or denying wrongdoing, according to Law360, which first reported the consent order. All three are now barred from future securities violations and prohibited from dealing with digital securities for the next five years.
Read more: SEC Charges Rapper TI With Securities Violations for Promoting 2017 ICO
It was not immediately clear on Wednesday if fellow FLiK defendant Ryan Felton had settled the charges against him. The film producer faces allegations of fraud and manipulation from the SEC.
More For You
KuCoin captured a record share of centralised exchange volume in 2025, with more than $1.25tn traded as its volumes grew faster than the wider crypto market.
What to know:
- KuCoin recorded over $1.25 trillion in total trading volume in 2025, equivalent to an average of roughly $114 billion per month, marking its strongest year on record.
- This performance translated into an all-time high share of centralised exchange volume, as KuCoin’s activity expanded faster than aggregate CEX volumes, which slowed during periods of lower market volatility.
- Spot and derivatives volumes were evenly split, each exceeding $500 billion for the year, signalling broad-based usage rather than reliance on a single product line.
- Altcoins accounted for the majority of trading activity, reinforcing KuCoin’s role as a primary liquidity venue beyond BTC and ETH at a time when majors saw more muted turnover.
- Even as overall crypto volumes softened mid-year, KuCoin maintained elevated baseline activity, indicating structurally higher user engagement rather than short-lived volume spikes.
More For You
Arthur Hayes' Maelstrom enters 2026 at 'almost maximum risk' betting on altcoins
The fund is betting on a liquidity wave driven by U.S. deficit spending and potential money printing by the Federal Reserve, which Hayes expects to support crypto prices.
What to know:
- Arthur Hayes' Maelstrom fund has taken an "almost maximum risk" stance in 2026, focusing on risk assets like bitcoin and emerging DeFi tokens, with minimal stablecoin exposure.
- The fund is betting on a liquidity wave driven by U,S. deficit spending and potential money printing by the Federal Reserve, which Hayes expects to support crypto prices.
- Maelstrom's 2025 performance was profitable but uneven, and Hayes is now leaning into "credible" narratives supported by the broader liquidity environment.
Top Stories
