Fiji Hands Over American Suspected of Cryptocurrency Ponzi Schemes

Fiji has handed over an American citizen suspected of running multi-million-dollar cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes in the United States. Edward Zimbardi, 59, was 'removed' from Fiji and returned to the US as part of a joint operation between the FBI and Fiji's Ministry of Immigration.

Zimbardi is accused of operating investment schemes linked to two entities: IMG and CryptoProgram. The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation ordered Zimbardi and CryptoProgram to cease offering unqualified securities in June 2023, alleging that most investor funds went towards paying other investors or a forex broker in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Zimbardi's legal troubles began in 1997 when he was convicted of felony theft in Georgia and served roughly 17 months in prison. He has also been accused of racketeering, fraud, and securities violations in a federal civil lawsuit filed in Georgia in 2025.