Crypto Dispensers has engaged financial advisors to explore a potential sale worth up to $100 million. The Chicago-based Bitcoin ATM operator made the announcement while its founder faces serious federal charges.
The company revealed its plans in a Friday statement. It hired advisors to conduct a strategic review and gauge market interest. The timing coincides with an ongoing criminal case against CEO Firas Isa and the company itself.
Strategic Shift From Hardware to Software
Crypto Dispensers highlighted its 2020 pivot away from physical ATM machines. The firm now operates primarily through a software-based model. Management said this transition addressed growing concerns about fraud and compliance.
Isa framed the potential sale as a natural progression. He emphasized that hardware operations revealed limitations while software unlocked scaling opportunities. The company stated it might remain independent depending on the review's outcome. No transaction is guaranteed at this stage.
The Department of Justice unsealed an indictment days before the sale announcement. Prosecutors accuse Isa and Crypto Dispensers of orchestrating a $10 million money laundering operation spanning seven years. The alleged scheme ran from 2018 through 2025.
Federal authorities claim Isa knowingly processed funds from wire fraud and drug trafficking through the ATM network. Despite know-your-customer protocols, prosecutors say he converted illicit cash into cryptocurrency. The funds allegedly moved to digital wallets designed to hide their source.
Both the CEO and the company entered not guilty pleas to the conspiracy charge. A conviction could bring a maximum 20-year prison sentence. The government may also seize assets connected to the alleged criminal activity.
Regulatory Crackdown Intensifies
Crypto ATMs face mounting scrutiny across the United States. The Federal Bureau of Investigation recorded nearly 11,000 scam complaints involving crypto kiosks in 2024 alone. Victims reported losses exceeding $246 million during that period.
Lawmakers have questioned the machines' anonymity features. Critics argue these characteristics enable criminal activity and make fraud easier to execute. The regulatory pressure continues to build at both federal and local levels.
Several cities have taken decisive action against crypto ATMs. Stillwater, Minnesota, banned the machines after residents lost significant sums to scams. One case involved a fraudulent PayPal overpayment scheme that cost a victim thousands of dollars.
Spokane, Washington, implemented a citywide prohibition in June. City officials cited a spike in scam reports. They described crypto kiosks as a preferred instrument for fraudsters targeting vulnerable residents.
