Ex-Westport Exec Who Stole $4.4M From CT Company In Crypto Scam Gets 4 Years: Feds

A former Connecticut finance executive will serve four years in prison for embezzling more than $4 million from his employer in a slapdash cryptocurrency fraud scheme, federal authorities said.

Dylan Meissner, a 31-year-old Westport former cryptocurrency research firm executive was sentenced to four years in prison after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges, authorities said.
Photo Credit: *Pixabay/MarcelloRabozzi*

Josh Lanier

12/18/2024 2:32 p.m.

Dylan Meissner, 31, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison, followed by two years of probation, after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges, The US District Attorney for Connecticut said this week. Meissner must also repay the company $4,633,424.99 — $4.4 million of which he stole, and the rest is for a loan, authorities said.

As vice president of finance at a cryptocurrency research firm, Meissner had access to the company’s digital wallets and bank accounts. Federal prosecutors revealed that he began misusing these funds in early 2022, starting with a $170,000 Ethereum loan from the company under the pretense of recovering personal trading losses.

Instead of stopping there, Meissner escalated his scheme. Between February and November 2022, he repeatedly diverted company funds to cover further personal losses, hiding his theft through false accounting entries. By the time he was fired in late 2022, Meissner had stolen approximately $4.46 million.

Meissner is currently out on a $100,000 bond and must report to prison on Feb. 21, 2025.

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