US Court sends Chinese exile Guo Wengui to prison for 30 years

A Chinese businessman who built a global following after fleeing his home country will spend the next three decades in prison after a US court found that he deceived supporters out of more than $1 billion through a series of fraudulent investment ventures.

Guo Wengui, a former property magnate who later emerged as a fierce critic of China's Communist Party, was sentenced in New York after being convicted of racketeering, fraud and money laundering.

While delivering the sentence, Judge Analisa Torres said Guo had targeted people who believed in his political message and persuaded them to part with their money.

The judge stated that he had "preyed on those seeking to bring democracy to China", using the funds to support a luxurious lifestyle rather than the causes his followers believed they were supporting.

Guo, who is also known by the names Miles Guo and Ho Wan Kwok, attended the sentencing hearing alongside many of his supporters.

The BBC said it had reached out to his representatives for a response.

The case centred on claims that Guo used his online influence to convince followers to invest in a range of business and cryptocurrency projects between 2018 and 2023. Prosecutors said the ventures attracted more than $1 billion from people who trusted him and his promises.

Authorities told the court that much of the money was diverted to personal spending. They pointed to assets that included a 50,000-square-foot residence, a Lamborghini valued at $1 million and a yacht worth $37 million.

Guo rejected the accusations throughout the proceedings and maintained that the funds were linked to his efforts opposing the Chinese government.

Before relocating to the United States in 2017, Guo had amassed substantial wealth through China's property sector and was considered one of the country's richest businessmen. At the time, he also enjoyed close relationships with influential figures within government circles.

His move to the US came after senior Chinese officials accused him of corruption. Once abroad, he transformed himself into a vocal opponent of Beijing and built a large audience online, particularly among Chinese expatriates.

Federal prosecutors argued that he later used that popularity to raise money from followers who believed they were backing projects tied to his movement and political vision.

Reacting to the sentence, US attorney Sean S Buckley said Guo had taken advantage of the confidence placed in him by thousands of people.

"Rather than being satisfied with the many legitimate opportunities afforded to him, Guo exploited the trust that thousands had placed in him for his own greed."

Buckley added: "Today's sentence shows that fame and wealth do not place you above the law, and that fraudsters who victimise families to enrich themselves will be met with significant consequences."

The case also drew attention because of Guo's association with Steve Bannon, a former adviser to US President Donald Trump.

The two frequently appeared together in online broadcasts and in 2020 unveiled the New Federal State of China campaign, which called for the removal of the Chinese Communist Party from power.

Later that year, Bannon was arrested aboard Guo's yacht in Connecticut in an unrelated matter involving allegations that donors to a non-profit organisation supporting a US-Mexico border wall project had been misled.

Bannon eventually pleaded guilty in a Manhattan court to a first-degree scheme to defraud charge and received a conditional discharge lasting three years. Separate federal charges connected to the border wall initiative were later dropped after Trump issued him a pardon during the final hours of his first presidential term.