Genesis attempts to recover $689M from Gemini in new lawsuit 

There is yet another legal battle unfolding in the Gemini and Genesis saga

share

A month after both companies were hit with a lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James, Genesis Global has sued Gemini Trust and associated users in an attempt to recover over half a billion dollars.

In a complaint filed in New York bankruptcy court Tuesday, Genesis Global alleges Gemini Trust received more than $689 million in withdrawals in the three months before the crypto lender filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

Gemini, the custodian and authorized agent for Earn users, was the recipient of withdrawals Earn users made during the “bank run” spurred by the spring 2022 market collapse. Up to 232,824 Earn customers pulled money from the platform, the lawsuit alleges. 

Earn was a program owned by Gemini and Genesis where customers could lend cryptoassets in exchange for interest. Under their agreement, Genesis acted as the borrower and reinvested crypto assets in order to generate yield. Gemini processed withdrawals. 

Read more: Gemini Earn users could be made whole through plan, DCG says

“As a result of these withdrawals, [Gemini] benefitted at the expense of [Genesis’s] other creditors, and continues to benefit to this day through their retention of the property [Genesis] seeks to avoid and recover here,” the complaint reads. 

Genesis filed for bankruptcy in January 2023 after the collapse of several of its counterparties, including exchange FTX

James announced her lawsuit against Gemini, Genesis and parent company Digital Currency Group (DCG) on Oct. 19. 

Read more: Gemini accuses Genesis of manipulating the voting process in FTX settlement

James’ office alleges Gemini and Genesis Capital conspired on two “fraudulent schemes” with their Gemini Earn product, resulting in investors losing more than $1 billion in November 2022 when withdrawals from the platform were suspended. DCG “coordinated” with the companies to perpetuate the scheme, the complaint alleges. Earn also constitutes an investment contract under the Howey test, James added. 

Days after the joint suit was filed, Gemini sued Genesis, alleging that the bankrupt crypto lender owes Gemini roughly $1.6 billion worth of Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) shares.

“Genesis has repeatedly taken actions to harm Earn Users and to hinder and delay Earn Users’ recovery of their digital assets,” Gemini said in its complaint. 


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Tags

Decoding crypto and the markets. Daily, with Byron Gilliam.

Upcoming Events

Javits Center North | 445 11th Ave

Tues - Thurs, March 24 - 26, 2026

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Unlocked by Template.png

Research

The march toward an interoperable and onchain-by-default internet depends on reliable messaging and value transfer across heterogeneous domains. Crosschain protocols now process >$1.3T in combined annual transfer volume and secure tens of millions of user interactions, yet no single design dominates.

article-image

The goal, per Santiago Santos, is to make crypto a relatable piece of tech for people who may not even understand it

article-image

Stripe stablecoin unit aims to operate under a federal charter enabling regulated stablecoin issuance and custody services

by Blockworks /
article-image

Will TradFi make crypto better or create more problems than it solves?

article-image

Subtle decisions by risk curators saved Aave from significant turmoil

article-image

The new Rootstock Institutional unit aims to connect professional investors to Bitcoin-native yield and liquidity strategies anchored in BTC’s security layer

by Blockworks /
article-image

DOJ files record civil forfeiture against more than 127,000 BTC linked to scam activity

by Blockworks /