Genius Group provides update to RICO lawsuit

SINGAPORE, May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genius Group Limited (NYSE American: GNS) (“Genius Group” or the “Company”), a leading AI-powered, Bitcoin-first education group, today announced that its lawyers have filed an amended complaint against Peter Ritz and Michael Moe as the controlling officers and directors of LZGI International, Inc (“LZG”) under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, seeking updated damages of over $750 million (which includes treble damages potentially recoverable under federal statute) caused by the defendants to Genius Group.

The amended complaint also includes two additional defendants, Michael Carter and John Clayton, who is also a defendant in the case filed by the United States and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), alleging Securities Fraud in the United States District Court District of Utah, Central Division (Case No: 2:24-cv-918). The SEC case against Clayton alleges he and other parties engaged in a securities fraud scheme to secretly amass and then illegally sell stock of small, publicly traded companies including LZGI. Genius Group alleges in its amended filing that both individuals are a part of the RICO enterprise related to the LZGI transaction with the Company.

The RICO case relates to the Company’s allegations of Ritz and Moe’s attempt to defraud the Company and filing false statements designed to defraud the court, causing a Temporary Restraining Order (“TRO”) and Preliminary Injunction (“PI”) to be issued against the Company preventing it from raising funds and buying Bitcoin, as a way to cause damage and extort further money from Genius.

On May 6, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in the Company’s favor, granting a stay on the PI, stating ““Appellant has made a strong showing that it is likely to succeed on the merits and suffers clear irreparable injury absent a stay, warranting a stay pending appeal.”

In summary, the Court of Appeals ruling enables the Company to resume its normal operations with immediate effect, including raising funds, selling shares, buying Bitcoin and funding its operations and growth plans, pending the resolution of the appeal.

Following this positive development, the Company is now focused at restructuring and rebuilding based on the considerable damages incurred by the TRO and PI over the last three months. It is also committed to recovering the damages incurred, which has increased to $250 million. The Company is seeking treble damages of $750 million in the RICO case.