Max (Maksim) Dilendorf, Esq.
Max (Maksim) Dilendorf’s legal practice is laser-focused on digital assets and cyber-crime cases, a domain he has passionately pursued since 2017. Over the past 7 years, Max built a distinct digital asset law practice, dedicating tens of thousands of hours to managing diverse client cases, research and engaging with industry regulators. In addition to his work in digital assets and cyber-crime, Max is committed to representing whistleblowers in matters involving fraud, securities violations, and breaches of Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulations.
He has been widely published and quoted in the media for his cryptocurrency and blockchain expertise, including for Bloomberg Law, Financial Times, New York Law Journal, Washington Post, Law360, Yahoo Finance, NBC News, Fortune, and many more.
Clients turn to Max with their most complex crypto-legal matters, attracted by his bespoke legal strategies in navigating the nuances of digital assets.
Federal Investigations:
Max represents clients facing federal investigations, particularly before the SEC, concerning violations of federal securities regulations related to the sale of digital assets in the U.S.
Additionally, Max provides advisory services to individual and corporate clients on compliance with regulations and guidelines established by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency for crypto transactions. Max also provides strategic legal advice to clients who receive inquiries from the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security regarding their cryptocurrency activities.
Arbitration/Litigation Cyber Crime Cases:
In this arena, Max represents victims of cyber-attacks, particularly those whose digital assets have been compromised through diverse means such as hacks, phone hijacking, and identity theft.
He arbitrated complex issues in forums like AAA, JAMS, and NAM, addressing a broad spectrum of cybersecurity challenges:
- Pursuing cases of gross negligence against financial institutions and phone carriers for their failure to establish and maintain robust fraud detection systems, resulting in the theft of clients’ digital assets.
- Handling negligence claims arising from companies’ utilization of deficient AI and SIFTs models for fraud detection and prevention.
- Arguing claims arising from companies’ failure to adhere to CISA’s recommended cybersecurity practices aimed at preventing fraud and manage cyber risks.
- Arbitrating claims for breach of fiduciary duty, negligence, and breach of contract against crypto companies that flout federal and state cybersecurity requirements, notably New York’s NYDFS Part 500 regulations.
- Leveraging industry standards like SOC, NIST, and ISO to assess defendants’ compliance with industry cybersecurity norms.
- Handling cases arising from a company’s failure to integrate “red flags” identified by the U.S. Department of Treasury into their fraud detection systems and SIFT workflow functionalities to prevent crypto cybercrime.
- Navigating state money transmission laws, U.S. Treasury Rules, the Anti-Money Laundering Law (AML), the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), and the Electronic Funds Transfer Act.
Since 2017, Max has been a leading authority in advising and representing clients in the asset tokenization space (RWAs/STOs) and rules governing security token issuance and secondary market trading. Navigating the evolving landscape of Federal Securities Regulations, broker-dealer requirements, and ATS regulations, Max provides indispensable guidance to his clients across various sectors including real estate, funds, art, and precious metals.
Money Transmitter Licenses for Crypto:
Max guides digital asset and Web3 companies through the intricate realm of Federal and State money transmitter licenses, Anti-Money Laundering Regulations, and compliance with the U.S. Bank Secrecy Act.
Whistleblower Representations:
In addition to his specialization in digital assets and cyber-crime, Max Dilendorf extends his legal expertise to representing whistleblowers in cases involving cryptocurrency-related misconduct, securities and CFTC fraud.
Max assists individuals in exposing fraudulent activities within the crypto industry, navigating complex securities regulations, and addressing corruption within DoD contracts. He is committed to protecting the rights of whistleblowers, ensuring their disclosures lead to meaningful accountability and reform. Leveraging his deep understanding of regulatory frameworks and dedication to justice, Max provides robust support to those courageously coming forward to uphold integrity in these critical sectors.
Featured In:
- February 9, 2024 | Law360 | New SEC Dealer Rule Leaves Crypto Pros Feeling In The Dark
- August 31, 2023 | Forbes | SEC Opens a New Can of Worms with NFT Enforcement Action
- February 9, 2023 | Law360 | To Catch Crypto Thieves, Attys Learn To Think Like Them
- April 24, 2023 | Fortune| Trial of former OpenSea product manager could broaden regulators’ definition of ‘insider trading’
- March 8, 2023 | Yahoo Finance | Crypto fraud victim’s case against Coinbase faces tough odds
- February 21, 2023 | Market Insider | Legal Update: SEC Targets NFT Projects with Subpoenas Over Potential Securities Violations, According to Dilendorf Law Firm and Andersen, P.C.
- June 8, 2022 | The new crypto bill could end algorithmic stablecoins as we know them
- June 7, 2022 | ‘Buckle up, everyone.’ Nate Chastain’s arrest shows the DOJ is serious about a crypto crackdown
- June 2, 2022 | ZeroHedge | DOJ Charges Ex-OpenSea Exec With NFT Insider Trading
- June 1, 2022 | Coindesk | US Charges Ex-OpenSea Exec With NFT Insider Trading
- May 10, 2022 | Coindesk | Can You Really Build a ‘Crypto Empire’ in the Empire State?
- May 5, 2022 | Law.Com | How Metaverse Firms Look to Manage Asset Loss, Disruption Risks in Untested Worlds
- May 5, 2022 | ArtNet | U.K.’s High Court Ruling on NFTs as ‘Property’ Has Been Called a Landmark—But It May Not Actually Change Much
- May 4, 2022 | VICE | Buying Authenticity: Inside the World of the Paid Crypto Shills
- May 4, 2022 | VICE | OpenSea ‘Sitting on Ticking Bomb’ as Lawsuits Pile Up Over Stolen Apes
- April 5, 2022 | Enterpreneur | Is Crypto Coming to an End? This $100 Million Settlement Will Impact Crypto Forever
- March 27, 2022 | Business Insider | Investing Juggernaut Animoca Brands Just Shut Down Its Crown Jewel Blockchain Game F1 Delta Time. Players, Investors And Lawyers Explain What Went Wrong — And The Checklist You Need If You’re Thinking Of Buying Licensed NFTs
- March 17, 2022 | City A.M.| NFTs: Magic Beans, Or Just Plain Lemons?
- March 4, 2022 | The Cointelegraph | Crypto Offers Russia No Way Out From Western Sanctions
- March 3, 2022 | Bitcoinist | SEC Smells Something Fishy About The NFT Market And Is Launching A Probe, Sources Say
- February 25, 2022 | The Cointelegraph | Wyoming’s State Stablecoin: Another Brick In The Wall?
- February 24, 2022 | Propmodo | When Will Real Estate’s Tokenization Transformation Happen?
- February 15, 2022 | The Defiant | U.K. Seizes NFTs In Fraud Probe As Authorities Hunt For Illicit Digital Assets
- February 15, 2022 | Investing.com | Has The SEC ‘Wiped Out’ DeFi Lending Model With BlockFi Penalty?
- February 15, 2022 | Yahoo! Finance | U.K. Seizes NFTs In Fraud Probe As Authorities Hunt For Illicit Digital Assets
- February 15, 2022 | TechCrunch | What BlockFi’s $100M Settlement With The SEC Means For Future Of DeFi Lending
- February 9, 2022 | Market Insider | 10 Questions About BitLicense From A Crypto Lawyer
- February 3, 2022 | Prime Resi | Unreal Deals: Is Crypto The Future For Real Estate?
- February 1, 2022 | Forbes | The World Of NFTs: Taxation And Compliance
- January 27, 2022 | Taxnotes |The World Of NFTs: Taxation And Compliance
- January 24, 2022 | AdPro | Heated Driveways, Cryptocurrency Sales, And Other Luxury Real Estate Trends For 2022
- January 13, 2022 | Sotheby’s | Is Crypto The Future For Real Estate?
- January 12, 2022 | Be In Crypto | Crypto Wealth & Hybrid Working Drive Luxury Property Purchases
- January 4, 2022 | The Real Deal | Inside Proptech Unicorn Pacaso’s Meteoric Rise — And Its Fallout
- December 16, 2021 | How-to Geek | Here’s The Problem With NFTs
- December 10, 2021 | Mansion Global | When Purchasing A Real Estate NFT, What Are You Really Buying?
- December 10, 2021 | Wikipedia | Bitcoin ATM
- December 2, 2021 | Artnet | These 7 Legal Gray Areas Could Determine The Future Of The Booming NFT Market
- December 1, 2021 | ABC 7 | Crypto: 7 On Your Side Investigates Currency And Confusion
- November 30, 2021 | The Japan Times | The New Masters: How Auction Houses Are Chasing Crypto Millions
- November 30, 2021 | Financial Times | What Are Non-Fungible Tokens And How Do They Work?
- November 19, 2021 | ETF Trends | Tokenize Everything
- November 8, 2021 | Reuters | The New Masters: How Auction Houses Are Chasing Crypto Millions
- October 5, 2021 | Yahoo! Finance | Crypto Becomes The Newest Fake News Frontier
- September 30, 2021 | The Washington Post | Crypto Tax: ‘MiamiCoin’ Has Made The City $7 Million So Far, A Potential Game-Changer For Revenue Collection
- September 24, 2021 | Messari | Venture DAOs: So Hot Right Now
- September 24, 2021 | Atlantic Council | The Case For A Financial Digital Asset Framework For Cryptocurrencies
- September 1, 2021 | Bank Info Security | Bitcoin ATM Firms Seek To Shape Regulations
- August 19, 2021 | Mansion Global | What Taxes Can A Buyer Expect When Purchasing A Home With Bitcoin?
- August 10, 2021 | Markets Insider | Launching A US Crypto Hedge Fund – Tips From A Crypto Lawyer
- August 5, 2021 | MarketWatch | Uniswap – An Illusion Of Decentralization?
- July 16, 2021 | Yahoo! Finance | 101-Year-Old Industrial Pump Valve Company Now Accepting Cryptocurrency From International Buyers
- July 7, 2021 | The Defiant | Crypto Scams Are Out Of Control, Again… Here’s How To Stop Them Forever
- June 22, 2021 | Coindesk | Story From Markets Security Token Market Shows Signs Of Resurgence
- May 31, 2021 | Tokenpost | Algocap.Io Becomes First NY Brokerage To Accept Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), And DOGE For Real Estate Transactions
- May 27, 2021 | Law.com | Security Token Offerings (STOs) For NFTs?
- May 21, 2021 | Gotham Weekly | NYC Brokerage, Algocap.Io – First To Accept Crypto In Real Estate Transactions
- April 25, 2021 | Yahoo! Finance | Coinbase Customers With Hacked Accounts Get No Justice From ‘Horrible’ US Laws: Fintech Lawyer
- April 25, 2021 | Hodlin | How To Buy Real Estate With Cryptocurrency?
- April 13, 2021 | Law 360 Pulse | As NFTs Boom, Cascade Of Cases And Legal Questions Await
- April 13, 2021 | Entrepreneur | Max Dilendorf Is A Top Cryptocurrency And Digital Asset Lawyer
- March 24, 2021 | Law.com | What’s Next: NFTs Pose A Billion-Dollar Legal Question + The Fate Of Diversity Shareholder Suits Against Big Tech + Facebook’s Leaked Documents Resurface In Cambridge Analytica Litigation
- March 22, 2021 | Newshub | Digital Artwork That Anyone Can Copy For Free Sells For Almost $100 Million
- March 22, 2021 | Los Angeles Magazine | Thinking Of Buying Or Minting An NFT? Here’s What You Need To Know
- March 16, 2021 | AP | Dilendorf Law Firm: Will NFTs Be Deemed Securities Subject To The U.S. SEC Laws And Regulations?
- March 16, 2021 | MarketWatch | Dilendorf Law Firm: Will NFTs Be Deemed Securities Subject To The U.S. SEC Laws And Regulations?
- March 11, 2021 | Reuters | Digital-Only Artwork Fetches Nearly $70 Million At Christie’s
- March 3, 2021 | Yahoo! Finance | Max Dilendorf Serves As A Bitcoin Expert Witness In USCIS EB-5 Green Card Adjudication Proceedings
- March 1, 2021 | Page Six | Barry Avrich On ‘Made You Look,’ His New Doc About Art Fraud
- January 14, 2021 | Reuters | U.S. Regulator’s Approval Of Stablecoin Payments Provides Regulatory Building Block, Compliance Challenge
- August 22, 2020 | Hive Blog | Is DeFi For Real?
- March 9, 2020 | Financial News Now | A Revolution In Liquidity And Transparency: How Blockchain Technology Is Transforming How We Invest
- January 21, 2020 | Forbes | Legal And Regulatory Experts Weigh In On The SEC’s Proposed Changes To The Accredited Investor Status
- January 17, 2020 | Brick Underground | How To Buy A NYC Apartment: The International Edition
- December 6, 2019 | The FinReg Blog | BLOCKCHAIN DISRUPTION AND DECENTRALIZED FINANCE: THE RISE OF DECENTRALIZED BUSINESS MODELS
- May 27, 2019 | Thrive Global | Why Face-To-Face Connections Still Trump Digital Ones
- May 24, 2019 | Crain’s | Opportunity Zones Aren’t Just For Real Estate
- February 13, 2019 | Financial News Now | A Revolution In Liquidity And Transparency: How Blockchain Technology Is Transforming How We Invest
- December 7, 2018 | Bloomberg Law | INSIGHT: How To Defer Bitcoin Capital Gains Through Purchase Of NY Qualified Opportunity Zone Real Estate
- November 23, 2017 | Mansion Global | Does The Common Reporting Standard Affect A Chinese National Buying A Home In The U.S.?
- November 5, 2017 | FXCM | The Most Popular Cryptocurrency Terms And Phrases