After stealing hundreds of thousands from customers by way of cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes, and allegedly conscious of federal investigations into him, HyperFund’s Rodney Burton believed he was above the legislation.
As a part of that course of, Burton fell down a sovereign citizen rabbit gap.
Upon his arrest at a Florida airport again in January, US authorities seized a “27-page packet documenting [Burton’s] participation within the sovereign citizen motion”.
Burton was caught trying to flee to Dubai. Dissecting that half is simple, Dubai has no extradition treaty with the US and is infamous for sheltering criminals from everywhere in the world.
Unpacking Burton’s descent into sovereign citizen nutjobbery requires deeper evaluation.
When you’re unfamiliar with the sovereign citizen motion, it’s usually populated by people who imagine they’re above the legislation.
As a part of normal delusions of grandeur, sovereign residents like to give you legally non-binding paperwork, petitions, declarations – something wanting really giving up citizenship and changing into stateless.
In essence, sovereign residents need the advantages of residing in civilized society with out contributing or shouldering any duty. For essentially the most half they don’t do something past offering amusement for the remainder of us.
Usually in the event that they’re not indoctrinated as a gateway into cryptocurrency, crypto bros flip to sovereign citizen nutjobbery solely after they’ve stolen a bunch of cash.
Such is the case with Burton who, after allegedly defrauding customers out of over $7 million by way of HyperFund, an virtually $2 billion MLM crypto Ponzi, initiated plans to flee to Dubai and declare himself a sovereign citizen.
The primary doc in Burton’s sovereign citizen file is a useful index:
Albeit nothing greater than a supply of amusement for the remainder of us, you’ll be able to think about how titles corresponding to “international sovereign immunities act” would attraction to criminals.
After the index now we have a “declaration” from Burton, citing him as an “American state nationwide” (click on to enlarge):
I declare that I’m the proprietor and operator of my vessels on Earth from the second my zygote first shaped, along with my DNA and all substance matter in any method related to me and my incarnation, and I additional declare that I settle for my divine origin and all honor, proper, title, and materials pursuits I’m owed.
I used to be born within the District of Columbia, and I selected to undertake Rhode Island, the beginning state of my Mom as the premise of my nationality freely and with out coercion and I declare my political standing as an American state nationwide.
The doc is “notarized” by Isla Barbara Sablon, a Florida resident who seems to have bestowed herself a “fee” until her “finish of life”.
Subsequent now we have a “public discover” through which Burton “broadcasts” his “want and intention to ascertain … everlasting homestead and domicile on Miami-Dade County, on Florida”.
A month later Burton would inform co-conspirator Brenda Chunga he was “shifting to Dubai”, and shortly after bought a one-way ticket.
Two accompanying “witness testimonies” affirming Burton’s purported “American State Political Standing and Identification are signed by Scott Lee Huss and Zachary Allen Czerkas.
Huss cites himself as a “buddy [and] mentee] of Burton’s. On the MLM facet of issues Huss has promoted Wealth Mills, iMarkets Reside, Past and iGenius.
Unsure why however on social media Huss now goes by “Jay Ryako”.
Huss/Ryako is at present shilling a masterclass on constructing credit score rating.
Zachary Czerkas, aka Zach Zerk, Zach Czerkas and Zachary Zerk is a promoter of the Mavie International Ponzi scheme. Czerkas cites himself as a “household buddy” of Burton’s.
In October 2023 BehindMLM cited an Instagram submit by Scott Huss. Huss’ submit featured Czerkas (proper) and wished fugitive John Barksdale at Mavie International’s Dubai HQ.
Current Instagram posts recommend Czerkas is again in Florida and dealing as a mannequin.
Subsequent up now we have a “Deed of Conveyance”.
Apparently the purpose of this doc is Burton declaring any previous Powers of Lawyer, granted executorships, guardianships and “company relationship” invalid. Keep in mind after all that none of those paperwork are legally binding.
After the deed we get to the “why” behind Burton’s sovereign citizen nutjobbery. Behold Burton’s “multi-divisible & stateless self”:
There doesn’t look like any level to the chart aside from to dodge authorities. Or at the least try to, fats lot of excellent any of this sovereign citizen stuff did Burton.
Following the how-to diagram for “essentially the most blatant and largest fraud within the historical past of the civilized world”, we one other bizarro doc. This one apparently revokes some 1666 legislation, purportedly releasing Burton from “all liens, money owed, titles held beneath shade of legislation, tithes, charges and all encumbrances established by the US of America, Inc.
The gist of the doc is in web page 2;
Beneath the type of making a qualification or attaching a situation, the US and United States of America nonetheless styled or construed cannor, in impact, inflict a punishment for a previous act which was not punishable on the time it was dedicated, and which was not the realizing, prepared, and consensual act of the particular Holder of Due Course of the given identify and property.
Regardless of declaring himself unpunishable in November 2023, Burton would after all go on to be arrested lower than two months later.
After declaring himself unpunishable by the US, the following doc is Burton’s whacky warchest is an “Act of Expatriation and Oath of Allegiance”.
Rodney Burton prepared and purposefully renounces all citizenship or different assumed political standing associated to the US as outlined as “the territories of Columbia” and its authorities.
The premise is the US is a company, which is typical sovereign citizen nutjobbery. Like the opposite paperwork, that is one other try to faux Burton isn’t beholden to US legislation.
Following one other “cancellation of all prior powers of legal professional”, subsequent up now we have Burton renouncing his US citizenship (once more none of those foolish paperwork are legally binding);
And maybe essentially the most amusing doc is a “price schedule”, whereby Burton seeks to cost US authorities for all method of issues.
No phrase on how Burton’s demand for $75,000 per hour in court docket goes following his arrest. I’m going out on a limb and betting the US authorities hasn’t paid him something although.
Burton’s sovereign citizen nutjob recordsdata had been exhibited by the DOJ in a submitting opposing Burton’s request for launch.
The court docket sided with the DOJ, denying Burton’s launch from detention on July ninth.