FTX Victims Sue Fenwick & West for $525M Over Alleged Role in Fraud
Twenty victims of the FTX collapse have filed a $525 million lawsuit against the prominent Silicon Valley law firm Fenwick & West, alleging it played a critical role in concealing the crypto exchange‘s massive fraud. The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, accuses Fenwick of helping structure shell entities, obscure fund movements, and provide legal guidance that enabled FTX’s misuse of customer assets. The plaintiffs argue that Fenwick‘s involvement gave FTX a veneer of legitimacy, preventing investors from recognizing the warning signs before the exchange’s implosion in November 2022. They also highlight the firm‘s alleged creation of North Dimension Inc., a Delaware shell company that funneled over $3 billion in stolen funds, and its advice on implementing FTX’s Signal auto-delete messaging policy, which prosecutors claim helped shield fraudulent activities from regulators. Testimony and Examiners Findings Central to the case is testimony from Nishad Singh, FTX‘s former Director of Engineering, who pleaded guilty to fraud charges. Singh testified that he informed Fenwick attorneys about the misuse of customer funds, but instead of distancing themselves, the firm allegedly advised on how to conceal it. This aligns with findings from a 2024 bankruptcy examiner’s report, which reviewed over 200,000 documents