ALT5 Sigma, the Canadian fintech firm that merged with World Liberty Financial in August 2025, is now engulfed in a widening web of investigations, undisclosed legal troubles, leadership upheaval, and regulatory pressure on both sides of the deal.
The most alarming revelation: a Rwandan court found ALT5 Sigma criminally liable for money laundering earlier this year, a conviction that was reportedly never disclosed to World Liberty’s board before the merger.
Undisclosed Conviction and CEO Suspension Spark Crisis
Internal chaos deepened after ALT5 Sigma suspended its CEO, John Isaac, in September 2025. The decision was kept quiet until October, adding to concerns about transparency inside the company.
While employees were warned internally about potential litigation and regulatory exposure, the company’s undisclosed money-laundering conviction in Rwanda appears to be the catalyst for escalating scrutiny. Multiple senior executives have since quit or been fired, leaving the merged entity in a state of leadership flux.
Since the merger closed in August, ALT5 Sigma’s stock price has fallen by roughly 75%, reflecting investor alarm over the unfolding revelations.
Federal Pressure Intensifies: SEC and Senators Launch Probes
The crisis gained national attention in late November when Forbes reported that the SEC is investigating ALT5 Sigma over filings related to its suspended CEO.
Days earlier, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Jack Reed requested a federal investigation into World Liberty Financial, the crypto firm linked to the family of President Donald Trump. According to the senators, the company allegedly sold tokens to entities in sanctioned jurisdictions such as Russia, North Korea, and Iran.
Their letter also highlighted that DT Marks DEFI LLC, a Trump-family-affiliated entity, receives 75% of proceeds from the token sales, raising further questions about oversight, accountability, and compliance.
The Company Pushes Back
A spokesperson for World Liberty Financial has denied all allegations, insisting that the firm conducts rigorous AML and KYC checks. Warren and Reed, however, argue that reporting and documents indicate the opposite, pointing to “significant evidence” suggesting compliance failures.
A Merger Clouded by Legal and Governance Failures
What began as a strategic merger has now morphed into a regulatory and reputational crisis. With hidden criminal convictions, a suspended CEO, fleeing executives, collapsing stock value, and federal investigations intensifying, ALT5 Sigma and World Liberty Financial face mounting pressure to address the growing number of red flags tied to their partnership.