A New York judge on Monday sentenced Chinese billionaire and prominent critic of the country’s Communist Party Guo Wengui to 30 years in jail for financial fraud.
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Guo — who was named in court papers as Ho Wan Kwok and also goes by Miles Guo and Miles Kwok — was convicted of nine out of 12 criminal charges that he pleaded not guilty to, including wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud and money laundering.
U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres ordered Guo to forfeit $889 million in restitution.
The tycoon “preyed on those seeking to bring democracy to China,” taking their money so he could live lavishly and cost over 1,000 people worldwide hundreds of millions of dollars, Torres said in court, according to The Associated Press.
He was arrested in 2023 on charges that he had defrauded…
This involves defrauding the state or using government systems to steal from individuals.
- Tax Identity Theft: A criminal uses your ID and income details to file a tax return in your name and claim a refund before you do.
- Grant/Benefit Fraud: Falsely claiming unemployment, disability, or social grants that the perpetrator is not entitled to.