US SEC Sues Crypto Mining Investment Scam, Mining Automatic Accused of Raising $22 Million from Over 380 Investors

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced it has filed a lawsuit against Florida resident Zan Shaikh and his company, Bright Vision Distribution LLC (operating as Mining Automatic), accusing them of defrauding investors through a fraudulent crypto asset mining investment scheme involving approximately $22 million in raised funds.The SEC stated that between June 2023 and May 2025, Shaikh and Mining Automatic promised investors fixed monthly returns from participating in a crypto asset mining business, but the mining operations were actually incapable of generating the promised returns.According to the SEC's complaint, Shaikh and Mining Automatic allegedly made false statements regarding their own crypto mining experience, operational capabilities, the use of investor funds, and the status of the mining business. They also cited an inability to pay investor returns as an excuse for delayed payments.