New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Thursday, October 22, that four promoters of cryptocurrency schemes will pay a combined $5.98 million, The Haitian Times reported. They are also permanently barred from the securities, commodities and cryptocurrency industries.

Martin Zizi agreed to pay $2.9 million, Frantz Ciceron $2.05 million, James Corbett $750,000 and Ricardo Roy Sr. $275,861. According to the attorney general's office, the money is meant to benefit the victims.

The promoters allegedly targeted Haitian and other immigrant communities through church prayer groups, social media and WhatsApp messages. More than 11,000 New Yorkers in New York City, Long Island and Westchester, Rockland and Orange counties invested and lost tens of millions of dollars.

The settlements are part of a 2024 lawsuit against the cryptocurrency companies NovaTechFx and AWS Mining Pty Ltd. The state accused the promoters of misleading investors, working as unregistered brokers and taking part in illegal pyramid schemes. James said the scammers targeted immigrant and religious communities “with the promise of a better life.”