International law enforcement body Interpol has issued a Red Notice for Richard Schueler, better known as Richard Heart, the controversial founder of cryptocurrency project Hex. The notice requests global law enforcement agencies to locate and provisionally detain Schueler based on allegations of tax fraud and physical assault.
The Red Notice was initiated by Finnish authorities, who are investigating Schueler for tax evasion spanning nearly four years, from June 2020 to April 2024. According to Helsinki police, suspicions arose from discrepancies between Schueler's reported income and tax service estimates.
Adding to his legal troubles, Schueler appears on Europe's most wanted fugitives list over accusations of violently assaulting a 16-year-old. The allegations state he grabbed the minor's hair, dragged them into a stairwell, and knocked them to the ground. A remand order for his arrest was issued on September 13, 2024.
In the United States, Schueler faces a separate $1 billion lawsuit from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The regulatory body alleges he conducted unregistered securities offerings through three cryptocurrency tokens: Hex, PulseChain, and PulseX. While Schueler attempted to dismiss the lawsuit in August, the SEC maintained its position to pursue the case.
Despite mounting legal pressure, Schueler remains active on social media. In a December post on X, he appeared to address his critics indirectly, referencing his charitable contributions: "If the haters really wanted to get me down, they could raise more than the $27M I did for medical research."
The crypto founder, known for displaying his wealth through expensive fashion and diamonds on social media, continues to face scrutiny from multiple jurisdictions as authorities work to bring him to justice.