Guo Wengui was arrested for defrauding supporters of more than US$1 billion

On March 15, 2023 Eastern Time, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Guo Wengui, an Interpol "red notice officer" who had been absconding in the United States for many years, was arrested in New York this morning.

According to a grand jury indictment unsealed by the federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, Guo Wengui was accused of 11 counts of wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud and money laundering, defrauding more than US$1 billion.

According to the list listed in the announcement of the U.S. Department of Justice, of all the crimes Guo Wengui was charged with, nine of them carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and each has a maximum sentence of 10 years and 5 years.

If all charges are proven, it means that Guo Wengui will face a maximum sentence of 195 years in prison. However, it is only the charges against him. Whether he is guilty, how he was convicted, and how many years he will be sentenced have yet to be decided by the federal court.

Prosecutor Williams said that between September 2022 and March 2023, the U.S. government seized Guo Wengui’s fraudulent funds, approximately $634 million, from 21 different bank accounts, and the government sought to confiscate this huge amount of money. In addition, law enforcement authorities also seized assets purchased by Guo Wengui with fraudulent funds, including a Lamborghini sports car. Williams pointed out that Guo Wengui led a complex conspiracy that defrauded his followers of more than $1 billion. He used the money to fill his pockets, including buying himself and his close relatives a 50,000-square-meter mansion, a $3.5 million Ferrari, and even two $36,000 mattresses, and financing a $37 million boat. luxury yacht.

The Ministry of Justice notice stated that Guo Wengui lied to the victims and promised them excessive returns if they invested or provided funds to GTV Media Private Equity, Himalayan Farm Alliance, G Club Operating Company and Himalayan Exchange.

Williams also pointed out that Guo Wengui is also accused of laundering hundreds of millions of stolen funds in order to cover up the illegal activities of the fraud and continue the fraudulent activities.

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said Guo Wengui "was the mastermind behind an elaborate conspiracy" that victimized thousands of innocent people and ultimately undermined public confidence in the integrity of the financial system. confidence.