The co-founder of recommendation-based cryptocurrency project ONFO coin has been found dead with apparent gunshot wounds about a week after he disappeared, although police are not currently suspecting murder.
On May 21, Dr. John Forsyth, an encryption advocate and emergency room physician, was reported missing by relatives after he missed his shift at Mercy Hospital in Cassville, Missouri. His family was quick to post an appeal on social media ab out his whereabouts. At the time, his brother Richard Forsyth told The Daily Beast that John Forsyth wasn't going to miss a single shift, so it was "an immediate red flag".
On May 28, authorities found Forsyth's sedan parked less than a mile from the hospital. Forsyth's wallet, passport, laptop and work briefcase were found inside the unlocked car. His brother added, "His mobile phone is in there, which is also very unusual because he always has a mobile phone with him." "This doesn't look like someone leaving with a plan," Richard Forsyth told The Associated Press on May 30.
However, John Forsyth's body was found on May 30 about an hour south of where he was last seen with apparent gunshot wounds. Local police said foul play did not appear to be a factor. The 49-year-old founded ONFO coin in 2020 with his brother Richard. The crypto project purportedly allows users to earn coins by referring others to the platform, a term known as "web mining."
ONFO promotes itself with videos depicting the dollar's demise, such as "The Dollar Is Doomed," which was posted to YouTube in 2021. No new videos have been released in a year, though. In 2020, Forbes named John Forsyth a "Bitcoin Millionaire " who studied math in college and was exposed to Bitcoin early and blockchain technology.
Forsyth joins the list of crypto advocates and founders who have died mysteriously. In April, Bob Lee, the creator of Cash App and former Square tech lead, was killed in an assassination attempt. Authorities arrested him on April 13 but have not commented on a motive for the attack.
