Crypto influencer BitBoy arrested in Florida over legal dispute

Ben Armstrong, a popular crypto influencer with the pseudonym “BitBoy,” was taken into custody in Florida on March 25, after announcing on March 20 that a warrant for his arrest was pending. 

The Volusia County Division of Corrections confirmed that he was detained at around 7:18 p.m. local time. Armstrong’s arrest has been popular due to his active participation in social networks, where he has reported information about his legal problems.

Details of the arrest

Armstrong is quite popular within the cryptocurrency community and was in trouble over actions linked to legal issues in Georgia. On March 21, in response to an inquiry about an arrest warrant on X (formerly Twitter), he revealed the charges were connected to emails he had sent to Cobb County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Childs. Armstrong, who was defending himself before the court, argued that due to these emails, the judge deleted her social media profiles.

The authorities in Florida have not released any further information about the charges leveled against Armstrong or details about his legal counsel in connection with the case at the time he was apprehended. Currently, no dates have been set for court appearances, and Armstrong has not spoken out about the situation.

Previous legal issues and scandals surrounding Armstrong

This is not Armstrong’s first run-in with the law. In September 2023, he was arrested while performing a live stream outside the residence of a former business partner. He said that the associate had stolen his Lamborghini, and this sparked a very scandalous debate. This act, which happened live on his stream, contributed to Armstrong’s fame and heightened his controversial personality.

On July 16, the CFTC issued a subpoena to Hit Network, a crypto-focused media company formerly associated with BitBoy. During his tenure with Hit Network, Armstrong was also actively sharing videos on YouTube, including suggesting his audience to invest in the memecoin BEN. While his project promised potential, many of the tokens that he promoted were significantly cut back in their value.

In response to the subpoena response, Armstrong publicly claimed that some former colleagues appropriated the BitBoy Crypto brand financially in 2020, similar to previous public allegation statements. Armstrong is also involved in other legal cases, including a defamation case that he opened against content producer Atozy, though the case was later withdrawn. In April 2023, Armstrong was involved in a class-action lawsuit, and the judge ruled to call Armstrong to appear before them for harassing the plaintiff’s counsel.