TechFlow reported on September 18, citing Decrypt and Finnish media YLE, that Richard Schueler (also known as Richard Heart), founder of Hex and PulseChain, is currently under criminal investigation in Finland for alleged major tax evasion and assault. Helsinki police detective Harri Saaristola stated that Schueler, a resident of Helsinki, is suspected of evading hundreds of millions of euros in taxes.
The investigation began following a request from the Finnish Tax Administration due to discrepancies between Schueler's tax filings and the administration's income assessments. Authorities believe Schueler created, launched, and promoted his cryptocurrency projects in Finland, with global marketing reach. On September 13, 2024, Schueler was placed under arrest in absentia and is currently at large. The alleged tax evasion occurred between June 2, 2020, and April 2, 2024, while the assault charge relates to an incident between February 16 and 17, 2021. Schueler also faces charges in the United States from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), accused of illegally raising over $1 billion. As of the end of 2023, the SEC had still not been able to determine his whereabouts. These charges involve the international promotion of his Hex and Pulse projects.
