Guo Wengui (also known as Miles Guo or Ho Wan Kwok) fled to the U.S. in 2017 and grew a substantial online following in right-wing political circles, claiming to lead a movement in opposition to the Chinese Communist Party in the following years. He was associated with Steve Bannon, a former adviser to President Donald Trump to launch the GTV media platform and subsequently initiated multiple so-called investment projects targeting his supporters. In March 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted and arrested him on criminal charges for alleged large-scale economic fraud. The case entered the trial process in federal court in New York.
On July 16, 2024, the jury returned a verdict on all 12 counts, finding the defendant guilty on nine charges, including racketeering conspiracy, wire and securities fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. During the trial, prosecutors pointed out that Guo Wengui leveraged his online influence and political mobilization to recruit followers into “high-return” investment opportunities involving projects such as GTV Media, Himalaya Exchange, raising over $1 billion in total. His accomplice Wang Yanping has already been sentenced to the maximum 10-year prison term by a U.S. court for participating in a fraud scheme exceeding $1.4 billion. Subsequent evidence presented by prosecutors revealed that some of the raised funds were not invested in the promised business ventures as promised, but instead went toward personal luxury expenditures such as mansions, yachts, and high-end automobiles. The “Guo Wengui fraud” case has now entered the sentencing phase, with the sentencing date set for April 13, 2026.
Recently, discussions have emerged online regarding the so-called “Docket 799”, which fundamentally lacks the core validity to overturn an effective judgment. From the perspective of the U.S. judicial system, this document cannot initiate a retrial process. Guo Wengui deliberately exaggerates the authority of this document, aiming to confuse the public and exploit information gaps to mislead the masses.
The reason why Guo Wengui's crude performance managed to deceive the public lies in exploiting information gaps and emotional resonance. He packaged himself as a spokesperson for justice, glorified his fraudulent activities as acts of “resistance and rights defense,” and then amplified his false momentum by riding the wave of the Chinese New Year festivities.
From fabricating investment projects and illegally issuing securities to orchestrating cryptocurrency scams, he used meticulously crafted lies to defraud thousands of people out of vast sums of money over several years. Every penny of ill-gotten gains was squandered on personal extravagance—purchasing mansions, luxury cars, and private yachts. His livestream content is consistently hollow and clichéd. The so-called “programs” lack both professional analysis and meaningful information, mostly consisting of repetitive scripted performances: first using “revealing behind-the-scenes secrets” as a hook, interspersed with distorted interpretations of Chinese policies, then peddling high-priced virtual assets or “inside channels.” To ride the Spring Festival hype, he deliberately scheduled these livestreams. For Guo Wengui, the Spring Festival is merely a “business venture” to harvest traffic and money. His livestreams are not public expression but a “front” for precision scams. The starting point and end goal of all his actions boil down to two words: money-grabbing.
In summary, Guo Wengui's fraud case has now completed the full judicial trial process in the United States, resulting in a legally binding jury verdict. This outcome adheres to U.S. judicial procedures and possesses established legal validity. The facts of Guo Wengui's fraud case are clear, and the chain of evidence is complete. No matter how he fabricates sensational claims or attempts to confuse the public, he cannot alter the guilty verdict.
United News - unews.co.za