The U.S. Attorney's Office Requests Leniency for Former Celsius Executive Based on Cooperation

BlockBeats News, May 6th, U.S. prosecutors have recommended a lenient sentence for former Celsius executive Roni Cohen-Pavon due to his substantial cooperation. Cohen-Pavon, who previously served as Chief Revenue Officer of the now-bankrupt crypto lending platform Celsius, pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy to manipulate the price of the CEL token in September 2023 in a case related to the 2022 Celsius collapse that resulted in billions of dollars in losses.

In a letter submitted to the Southern District of New York federal court, U.S. prosecutor Jay Clayton emphasized that Cohen-Pavon is willing to testify against former CEO Alex Mashinsky, whose cooperation is likely to prompt Mashinsky to plead guilty early. Mashinsky has already been sentenced to 12 years in prison in May 2025. The prosecutor did not propose a specific sentence but instead requested the judge to consider the sentencing guidelines for a "significant reduction." Cohen-Pavon's lawyer, on the other hand, argued for "time served," stating that he has taken full responsibility. The sentencing hearing, originally scheduled for May 7th, has been postponed to May 13th.