Damian Williams, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James Smith, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), have unsealed charges against three UK citizens accused of conspiring to commit wire fraud and money laundering. The defendants, Mohamed-Amin Atcha, Mohamed Rilaz Waleedh, and Daood Hassan, are suspected of deceiving victims into purchasing digital artwork from the NFT series called 'Evolved Apes'.

The charges stem from the defendants' alleged plan to inflate the price of NFTs by falsely claiming to the public that they were developing a related video game. The defendants then secretly transferred the fraudulent proceeds to their personal accounts, according to the FBI. The case has been handed over to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.

The defendants' scheme is believed to have targeted unsuspecting investors who were lured into purchasing the NFTs, which were marketed as part of a larger video game project. The FBI alleges that the defendants falsely claimed to be developing a video game, and then used the proceeds from the NFT sales to fund their own personal accounts.

The FBI's investigation into the case is ongoing, and the defendants are expected to face serious consequences if convicted. The case highlights the growing concern over the use of NFTs in fraudulent schemes, and the need for greater regulation and oversight in the digital art market.

Ultimately, the charges against the three UK citizens serve as a warning to others who may be considering similar schemes. The FBI is committed to protecting investors and ensuring that the digital art market is fair and transparent.