After stealing millions from consumers through cryptocurrency Ponzi schemes, and allegedly aware of federal investigations into him, HyperFund’s Rodney Burton believed he was above the law.

As part of that process, Burton fell down a sovereign citizen rabbit hole.

Upon his arrest at a Florida airport back in January, US authorities seized a “27-page packet documenting [Burton’s] participation in the sovereign citizen movement”.

Burton was caught attempting to flee to Dubai. Dissecting that part is easy, Dubai has no extradition treaty with the US and is notorious for sheltering criminals from all over the world.

Unpacking Burton’s descent into sovereign citizen nutjobbery requires deeper analysis.

If you’re unfamiliar with the sovereign citizen movement, it’s typically populated by individuals who believe they’re above the law.

As part of general delusions of grandeur, sovereign citizens love to come up with legally non-binding documents, petitions, declarations – anything short of actually giving up citizenship and becoming stateless.

In essence, sovereign citizens want the benefits of living in civilized society without contributing or shouldering any responsibility. For the most part they don’t do anything beyond providing amusement for the rest of us.

Typically if they’re not indoctrinated as a gateway into cryptocurrency, crypto bros turn to sovereign citizen nutjobbery only after they’ve stolen a bunch of money.

Such is the case with Burton who, after allegedly defrauding consumers out of over $7 million through HyperFund, an almost $2 billion MLM crypto Ponzi, initiated plans to flee to Dubai and declare himself a sovereign citizen.

The first document in Burton’s sovereign citizen dossier is a helpful index:

Albeit nothing more than a source of amusement for the rest of us, you can imagine how titles such as “foreign sovereign immunities act” would appeal to criminals.

After the index we have a “declaration” from Burton, citing him as an “American state national” (click to enlarge):

I declare that I am the owner and operator of my vessels on Earth from the moment my zygote first formed, together with my DNA and all substance matter in any way associated with me and my incarnation, and I further declare that I accept my divine origin and all honor, right, title, and material interests I am owed.

I was born in the District of Columbia, and I chose to adopt Rhode Island, the birth state of my Mother as the basis of my nationality freely and without coercion and I declare my political status as an American state national.

The document is “notarized” by Isla Barbara Sablon, a Florida resident who appears to have bestowed herself a “commission” till her “end of life”.

Next we have a “public notice” in which Burton “announces” his “desire and intention to establish … permanent homestead and domicile on Miami-Dade County, on Florida”.

A month later Burton would tell co-conspirator Brenda Chunga he was “moving to Dubai”, and shortly after purchased a one-way ticket.

Two accompanying “witness testimonies” affirming Burton’s purported “American State Political Status and Identity are signed by Scott Lee Huss and Zachary Allen Czerkas.

Huss cites himself as a “friend [and] mentee” of Burton’s. On the MLM side of things Huss has promoted Wealth Generators, iMarkets Live, Beyond and iGenius.

Not sure why but on social media Huss now goes by “Jay Ryako”.

Huss/Ryako is currently shilling a masterclass on building credit score.

Zachary Czerkas, aka Zach Zerk, Zach Czerkas and Zachary Zerk is a promoter of the Mavie Global Ponzi scheme. Czerkas cites himself as a “family friend” of Burton’s.

In October 2023 BehindMLM cited an Instagram post by Scott Huss. Huss’ post featured Czerkas (right) and wanted fugitive John Barksdale at Mavie Global’s Dubai HQ.

Recent Instagram posts suggest Czerkas is back in Florida and working as a model.

Next up we have a “Deed of Conveyance”.

Apparently the point of this document is Burton declaring any past Powers of Attorney, granted executorships, guardianships and “agency relationship” invalid. Remember of course that none of these documents are legally binding.

After the deed we get to the “why” behind Burton’s sovereign citizen nutjobbery. Behold Burton’s “multi-divisible & stateless self”:

There doesn’t appear to be any point to the chart other than to dodge authorities. Or at least attempt to, fat lot of good any of this sovereign citizen stuff did Burton.

Following the how-to diagram for “the most blatant and largest fraud in the history of the civilized world”, we another bizarro document. This one apparently revokes some 1666 law, purportedly freeing Burton from “all liens, debts, titles held under color of law, tithes, fees and all encumbrances established by the United States of America, Inc.

The gist of the document is in page 2;

Under the form of creating a qualification or attaching a condition, the United States and United States of America however styled or construed cannor, in effect, inflict a punishment for a past act which was not punishable at the time it was committed, and which was not the knowing, willing, and consensual act of the actual Holder of Due Course of the given name and estate.

Despite declaring himself unpunishable in November 2023, Burton would of course go on to be arrested less than two months later.

After declaring himself unpunishable by the US, the next document is Burton’s whacky warchest is an “Act of Expatriation and Oath of Allegiance”.

Rodney Burton willing and purposefully renounces all citizenship or other assumed political status related to the United States as defined as “the territories of Columbia” and its government.

The premise is the US is a corporation, which is typical sovereign citizen nutjobbery. Like the other documents, this is another attempt to pretend Burton isn’t beholden to US law.

Following another “cancellation of all prior powers of attorney”, next up we have Burton renouncing his US citizenship (again none of these silly documents are legally binding);

And perhaps the most amusing document is a “fee schedule”, wherein Burton seeks to charge US authorities for all manner of things.

No word on how Burton’s demand for $75,000 per hour in court is going following his arrest. I’m going out on a limb and betting the US government hasn’t paid him anything though.

Burton’s sovereign citizen nutjob files were exhibited by the DOJ in a filing opposing Burton’s request for release.

The court sided with the DOJ, denying Burton’s release from detention on July 9th.

 

Update 20th August 2024 – Scott Huss has been added to BehindMLM’s DMCA Wall of Shame.