Scott Purcell’s Fortress Trust fails like Prime Trust before it
Prime Trust and Fortress Trust, Scott Purcell’s two crypto custodians that previously boasted clients BinanceUS, Swan Bitcoin, Abra, and TrueUSD, have both collapsed after disturbing allegations of financial misconduct. On October 22, Nevada’s Financial Institutions Division revealed that several third-party businesses declined to follow through on acquisition offers or provide sufficient bridge financing for Fortress Trust, the successor to Purcell’s first failed attempt at crypto custody, Prime Trust. This month’s collapse of Fortress Trust is eerily similar to Purcell’s 2023 failure. Prime Trust filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in August 2023 after its Banq subsidiary collapsed and Nevada’s Financial Institutions Division revealed that it had improperly utilized customers’ funds to cover others’ withdrawals. The former president of the Bank of Nevada had to step in as receiver . Regulators revealed Prime Trust’s staggering obligations as of June 26, 2023: $8...