Bitcoin-mining company Butterfly Labs shut down by FTC
A bitcoin-related company that allegedly engaged in deceptive marketing of specialized computers designed to produce the cryptocurrency has been shut down at the request of the US Federal Trade Commission.
In a complaint filed earlier this month against Butterfly Labs, the FTC alleged that the Missouri-based company charged consumers thousands of dollars for computers that mine Bitcoins but then failed to deliver the machines "until they were practically useless, or in many cases, did not provide the computers at all," the agency said in a statement Tuesday.
"We often see that when a new and little-understood opportunity like bitcoin presents itself, scammers will find ways to capitalize on the public's excitement and interest," Jessica Rich, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. "We're pleased the court granted our request to halt this operation, and we look forward to putting the company's ill-gotten gains back in the hands of consumers."
