DOJ charges Few and Far NFT startup founder Taj Tarsha in $10M fraud case; he faces up to 20 years on securities and wire fraud counts

Taj Tarsha, 34, founder of the Few and Far NFT startup, has been charged with securities and wire fraud in a scheme that allegedly defrauded investors of approximately $10 million. The indictment, announced by the Southern District of New York, claims Tarsha misappropriated funds intended for a nonfungible token marketplace.¹²⁶⁷¹¹

Beginning in February 2022, Tarsha raised over $10 million from at least 67 investors through the sale of 95 million FAR tokens. Prosecutors allege he promised to use the proceeds to develop the marketplace but instead diverted funds for personal expenses, including online gambling and speculative cryptocurrency purchases. According to the DOJ, “Almost immediately, however, TARSHA began misappropriating investor funds for his personal use.”³

The indictment reveals that Tarsha received $1.2 million in undisclosed bonuses, despite Few and Far having “zero revenue.” He allegedly concealed these payments from investors and a co-founder. Following a June 2023 audit that exposed his actions, Tarsha reportedly fired most of his staff and instructed the remaining contractor to create a facade of ongoing development to mislead investors.⁴⁸

FBI Assistant Director James C. Barnacle, Jr. emphasized the importance of protecting financial market integrity, stating, “Taj Tarsha is alleged to have concealed fraudulent conduct behind his crypto startup.” Tarsha faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of fraud.