U.S. Department of Justice Withdraws Fraud Case Against Former OpenSea Manager

The U.S. Department of Justice has decided to drop its fraud case against Nathaniel Chastain, a former manager at OpenSea, following a recent appeals court ruling. According to NS3.AI, the court reversed Chastain's conviction, citing flawed jury instructions and determining that the NFT data involved lacked tangible commercial value, which weakened the prosecution's case under wire fraud laws. This legal development highlights a broader trend of regulatory pullback in crypto enforcement. The decision also comes at a time when the global NFT market is experiencing a downturn.