Former Pasco Pastor Indicted in Multi-Million Dollar Crypto Scam

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As a researcher, I’ve uncovered that I myself have been investigating the case of Reverend Francier Obando Pinillo, a pastor previously based in Pasco. This individual is accused of masterminding a massive crypto fraud scheme, which allegedly aimed to swindle investors out of millions of dollars.

A minister formerly based in Pasco, Washington, has been charged with participating in a large-scale cryptocurrency scam worth millions. These allegations were made public on January 8, 2025 by U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref. The pastor, Francier Obando Pinillo, is accused of illegally acquiring funds from investors between November 2021 and October 2023. According to a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice, he faces 26 charges of fraud. The grand jury in the Eastern District of Washington brought this indictment against him after a federal investigation.

On January 12, 2025, Pinillo, aged 51 from Miami, Florida, faced charges at the U.S. District Court in Richland, Washington. Known as the pastor of Ministerio Apostolico Profetico Tiempos de Poder, a Spanish-speaking church in Pasco, Washington, he stands accused. The indictment alleges that Pinillo exploited his position to persuade church members and others to invest in a cryptocurrency venture called ‘Solano Fi.’ According to Pinillo, Solano Fi was inspired by a dream he had, promising it as a secure and risk-free investment opportunity.

Former Pastor Faces Fraud Charges Over $34M Crypto Scam

To attract investors, Pinillo leveraged multiple social media outlets like a Facebook page and a Telegram group named “Multimillionarios SolanoFi,” boasting over 1,500 members. The company claimed that their platform, which utilized cryptocurrency staking, provided monthly returns of 34.9% with zero risk. However, the indictment alleges that the promised returns and account balances were false, as investors found they couldn’t withdraw their funds from the supposedly online platform.

As a researcher examining this case, I found that the individual in question, instead of placing the funds with external entities, chose to invest them along with his associates. To lure more investors into the scheme, he proposed a reward system where existing shareholders would receive extra returns for every new investor they successfully recruited. However, when the original investors requested to withdraw their funds, Pinillo allegedly offered various excuses such as the website malfunctioning, market conditions being unfavorable, or the necessity of bringing in a new investor to buy out the account.

The victims were led by Pinillo to believe that they had to contribute additional money for system repairs, but in truth, he was embezzling their funds for personal use. If found guilty, Pinillo could be sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison for these charges.

As a researcher delving into this subject, I’ve come to understand that cryptocurrency scams have emerged as a cunning method for unscrupulous individuals to swindle hard-earned money from unsuspecting folks, as pointed out by U.S. Attorney Waldref. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has taken up the investigation in this case. It’s my understanding that Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Jeremy J. Kelley are spearheading the prosecution for this particular instance.

 

 

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2025-01-14 23:07