Thu May 08 19:50:00 UTC 2025: ## Celsius Founder Mashinsky’s Lawyers Seek Lenient Sentence, Clash with DOJ’s Life Imprisonment Recommendation
**New York, NY** – Attorneys for Alex Mashinsky, the former CEO of collapsed cryptocurrency platform Celsius Network, are vehemently contesting the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) recommendation of a life sentence, instead pleading for a mere one-year prison term. In a recent court filing, Mashinsky’s legal team accuses the DOJ of painting a distorted picture of their client, portraying him as a predatory criminal rather than a first-time, non-violent offender who has accepted responsibility for his actions.
Mashinsky pleaded guilty in December 2024 to charges of securities fraud and market manipulation stemming from the multi-billion dollar collapse of Celsius. The DOJ alleges that Mashinsky misled investors about the platform’s safety and profitability.
The defense argues that the DOJ’s harsh sentencing recommendation ignores Mashinsky’s past achievements, including a successful career in business and his service in the Israeli Defense Forces. They contend that the DOJ’s portrayal ignores years of positive contributions and characterizes Mashinsky unfairly as a sudden, malevolent figure.
The filing states, “The government’s…submission recasts this case as one involving a predator…It concludes by recommending that a first-time, non-violent offender who pled guilty…receive a death-in-prison sentence.” Instead, the defense is seeking a sentence of no more than 366 days. The case is currently before the court.
First Piper 