Former Celsius CEO Alex Mashinsky has requested a sentence of no more than one year, in contrast to the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) demand for a 20-year penalty. Mashinsky pleaded guilty to commodities fraud and market manipulation in December 2024, admitting to profiting $48 million from CEL token sales before Celsius collapsed in June 2022. The DOJ accuses Mashinsky of orchestrating a scheme targeting thousands of retail investors with his conduct, causing substantial financial losses. Mashinsky’s lawyers argue that his past experiences – including his family history as Soviet Jewish refuseniks and service in the Israeli Defense Forces – warrant a less severe sentence. They also point to Mashinsky’s long career in regulated industries as mitigating factors.