Eli Regalado
Eli Regalado | |
|---|---|
| Born | Eligio Peter Regalado[1] 1979 or 1980 (age 45–46)[2] |
| Occupation | Pastor |
| Known for | INDXcoin |
Eligio Peter Regalado is an American pastor and convicted felon known for defrauding investors through the cryptocurrency INDXcoin.[3]
Career
At 22 years old, while Regalado was serving a prison sentence for boosting cars, he felt a calling to become a pastor.[4] Regalado preached to a congregation through his online church, Victorious Grace Church.[5] Regalado and his wife were the only two listed employees of the church.[4]
Regalado and his wife, Kaitlyn, were accused of running a cryptocurrency scam. The pair solicited $3.4 million from 300 investors through the Kingdom Wealth Exchange, a cryptocurrency exchange affiliated with Regalado. The couple went on to spend at least $1.3 million of the sum on a home renovation, which, according to Regalado, “the Lord” told them to do.[3][6][7][8][9][10] Regalado initially began preaching about INDXcoin and its exchange in August 2022.[11] The exchange and token were shut down in November 2023.[11] In January 2024, the couple was barred from selling securities before their trial and had their assets frozen.[12] Regalado would miss a February 2024 court date, instead attending a church conference in Zambia where he gave sermons on God and his cryptocurrency.[13] Also in that month, the securities fraud claim was amended to include twelve additional defendants, including pastor Jesse Duplantis.[14]
In July 2025, Regalado, along with his wife, was indicted on 40 counts of theft, securities fraud, and racketeering.[12] The couple was banned from selling crypto or other securities for 20 years and was ordered to pay back the $3.4 million.[15] A September 2025 ruling in a Denver District Court determined that Regalado had "committed securities fraud in violation of the Colorado Securities Act."[16]
Personal life
Prior to crypto-related ventures, Regalado had a history of criminal activity, including having plead guilty to theft in Jefferson County in 2000, pleading guilty to third-degree assault in connection with a 2001 incident, pleading guilty to a DUI in 2004, and Regalado was arrested in 1999 for aggravated motor vehicle theft, for which he was sentenced to eight years in prison.[17]
Before marrying his wife Kaitlyn, Regalado was married to and divorced from his ex-wife, Nicole Brown.[17]
See also
References
- ↑ "Indictment" (PDF). Denver District Attorney's Office. 2025. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 August 2025.
- ↑ Wingerter, Justin (15 July 2024). "'They're fighting against God': Crypto pastor vows to beat fraud claim". Business Den.
- 1 2 Hawkinson, Katie (29 July 2025). "Pastor and wife charged with $1m fraud after 'God told him' to sell crypto to his flock and spent it on vacations". The Independent.
- 1 2 Kainz, Natalie (22 January 2024). "Colorado pastor accused of pocketing $1.3M in crypto scheme says 'Lord told us to'". NBC News.
- ↑ Maass, Brian; McIntyre, Colin (5 November 2025). ""Crypto Pastor" charged with racketeering, theft in Colorado after allegedly diverting $1.3 million from investors". CBS News.
- ↑ Fisher, Claire (24 January 2024). "Denver Pastor Says 'the Lord Told Him' to Steal $1.3 M from Christians to Remodel Home". People.
- ↑ Oladipo, Gloria (23 January 2024). "'The Lord told us to': US pastor says he stole $1m from Christians to remodel home". The Guardian.
- ↑ Drenon, Brandon (23 January 2024). "Colorado pastor accused of multimillion dollar crypto scheme". BBC.
- ↑ Karimi, Faith (28 January 2024). "A Colorado pastor says God told him to launch a crypto venture. He's now accused of pocketing $1.3 million from his followers". CNN.
- ↑ Fell, Julian (24 January 2024). "Crypto pastor admits to fraud on video, claims 'the Lord told me to' remodel house with funds". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
- 1 2 Wingerter, Justin (16 September 2025). "Denver pastor pocketed $1.3M selling worthless cryptocurrency, state says". The Denver Post.
- 1 2 Ziegler, Hannah (27 July 2025). "Denver Pastor and Wife Face Charges in 'God-Inspired' Cryptocurrency Scheme". New York Times.
- ↑ Penington, Lauren (2 February 2024). "Denver crypto pastor touted his currency at Zambian church conference instead of attending court hearing". The Denver Post.
- ↑ McKinley, Carol (12 February 2024). "12 more people added as defendants in Denver church cryptocurrency scam". Denver Gazette.
- ↑ Wingerter, Justin (16 September 2025). "Denver pastor barred from selling crypto, ordered to pay back $3.4M". The Denver Post.
- ↑ "Denver District Court Rules INDXcoin Cryptocurrency Scheme was a Fraud" (Press release). Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. 16 September 2025.
- 1 2 Blair, Leonardo (6 November 2025). "Pastor who sold $3.2M in worthless cryptocurrency to Christians served time for auto theft". The Christian Post.