# CFTC Charges Minnesota Resident Charles “Chuck” E. Hays and His Company, Crossfire Trading, LLC, with Running a $5.5 Million Ponzi Scheme

> CFTC release 5608-09 · 2009-02-06 · **Ponzi scheme** · ENFORCEMENT

## Key facts

- **Release number:** 5608-09
- **Release date:** 2009-02-06
- **Type:** Ponzi scheme
- **Title:** CFTC Charges Minnesota Resident Charles “Chuck” E. Hays and His Company, Crossfire Trading, LLC, with Running a $5.5 Million Ponzi Scheme
- **Primary source:** https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/5608-09

## What this is

CFTC enforcement actions cover derivatives + commodities + crypto fraud cases. The Commission charges market participants under the Commodity Exchange Act for spoofing, manipulation, fraud, wash trades, registration violations, and pool-operator misconduct. Most actions settle with restitution + civil money penalty + a bar/suspension.


## Citation

> US Commodity Futures Trading Commission, press release 5608-09, "CFTC Charges Minnesota Resident Charles “Chuck” E. Hays and His Company, Crossfire Trading, LLC, with Running a $5.5 Million Ponzi Scheme", 2009-02-06. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-07-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/cftc-action/5608-09.

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