The Shanghai court in China has concluded a digital collectible fraud case, and the main culprit has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison.
BlockBeats News, August 17th. According to the official WeChat account of the First Intermediate People's Court of Shanghai (Shanghai No. 1 Court), the court recently concluded a second-instance criminal case involving digital collectibles. The defendants Wang and Liu, under the guise of operating a digital collectibles platform, issued digital collectibles whose underlying electronic images were generated by AI, falsely promoting the appreciation prospects of the aforementioned digital collectibles and promising a "50% off" guaranteed return of principal. The court ruled that Wang and Liu were guilty of fund-raising fraud and sentenced them to eight years and six months, and seven years and two months of imprisonment, respectively.
In October to December 2023, Wang and Liu registered a technology company in Shanghai, focusing on a digital collectibles platform. During this period, Wang and Liu used the platform and WeChat groups to publicly promote the sale of digital collectibles to the general public. They released a total of 7,888 to 16,888 copies of the digital collectibles at prices ranging from 9.9 yuan to 69.9 yuan. By controlling the trading volume and price of secondary market collectibles through self-buying and selling, they created the illusion of active trading. When victims were unable to trade the collectibles and requested refunds, they would block the victims.
After trial, the Shanghai No. 1 Court held that the technology company involved in the case operated a digital collectibles platform without obtaining the necessary administrative license. The digital collectibles in question lacked support from cultural and artistic creation activities, and the selling prices deviated significantly from their value, violating market rules. The "on-chain services" provided by the platform also lacked significant value. Wang and Liu's actions were not essentially selling goods but deceiving victims of their investment under the guise of operating a digital collectibles platform, exhibiting characteristics of illegality, publicity, inducement, and social impact, and should be deemed as illegal fund-raising. In addition, Wang and Liu, with the aim of illegal possession, unlawfully raised funds using fraudulent means, with a substantial amount involved, constituting the crime of fund-raising fraud.
You may also like

A plunge of over 97% continues to unlock, yet WLD has completed $65 million in over-the-counter financing: who is still footing the bill?

Potential Bitcoin Crash Below $60K May Delay Recovery to 2027
Key Takeaways: Bitcoin’s deep drawdown phase may extend recovery to the second quarter of 2027. Historical data shows…

BTC USD Price Drops Below $67K Amid Rising Treasury Yields
Key Takeaways: BTC USD slumped to $66,300, its first drop below $67K since March 9, driven by macroeconomic…

Second Bill Targets Insider Trading in Prediction Markets
Key Takeaways: The Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026 prohibits government officials from using insider…

India Apprehends Key Figure in Myanmar Crypto Fraud Complex
Key Takeaways: India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a key player in a scam that trafficked Indian…

Bitcoin and Profit Metrics: Will History Repeat Itself?
Key Takeaways: Historical patterns reveal that when Bitcoin’s supply in profit falls below 50%, significant price rallies ensue.…

Bitcoin ‘Compression’ Outcome Could Propel BTC Towards $80K: An Analyst’s Perspective
Key Takeaways: Bitcoin’s price is testing a critical $71,500 level, hinting at a possible rally to $80,000. Traders…

Data Points to Accelerating Ether Supply Crunch: Will ETH Price Follow?
Key Takeaways: As of now, 33.1% of Ethereum’s circulating supply is staked, resulting in a tighter liquid supply.…

XRP Risk-Reward Improves as Whale Accumulation Surges: Will the Price Mirror This Trend?
Key Takeaways: XRP’s Sharpe Ratio turned positive on March 26, 2026, indicating a potential for returns outweighing associated…

Cryptocurrency Price Predictions for March 27: BTC, ETH, BNB, XRP, SOL, DOGE, HYPE, ADA, BCH, and LINK
Key Takeaways: Bitcoin is struggling to maintain its position above the $66,000 threshold, amplifying concerns of a further…

Bitcoin ETFs Face Capital Outflow as Market Treads with Caution
Key Takeaways: Bitcoin ETFs experienced a $296 million outflow, ending a four-week inflow run. Total net assets for…

Crypto Market Predictions: BTC, ETH, BNB, XRP, SOL, DOGE, HYPE, ADA, BCH, LINK
Key Takeaways: Bitcoin struggles at the $72,000 level as bulls aim for $80,000, while resistance remains strong. Ethereum…

Bitcoin Returns to $71K as Oil Prices Plummet with Trump Halting Iran Strikes
Key Takeaways: Bitcoin rallies 5% to surpass $71,000 following Trump’s delay of US military action against Iran. Liquidations…

Ether Taker Volume Reaches Three-Year Peak: Can ETH Sidestep a 19% Price Drop?
Key Takeaways: An Ether on-chain indicator has surged to its highest in over three years, signaling potential stabilization…

Bitcoin Spot Volumes Reach 2023 Lows While BTC Rallies Stay News-Driven
Key Takeaways: Bitcoin’s price surged to $71,600 during a US market open, but the rise lacked consistent spot…

Unifying Ethereum: Tackling Fragmentation and Embracing Onchain Trading
Key Takeaways: Ethereum developers propose a groundbreaking ‘Economic Zone’ to address fragmentation in layer-2 networks. Onchain commodity trading…

Lummis Affirms CLARITY Act as DeFi’s Strongest Shield Yet
Key Takeaways: The CLARITY Act is touted by Senator Cynthia Lummis as providing unparalleled protections for DeFi developers.…

US Probes Bitmain over Security Concerns Amidst Crypto Mining Dominance
Key Takeaways: US authorities have initiated “Operation Red Sunset” to investigate potential security threats posed by Bitmain’s Chinese-manufactured…
A plunge of over 97% continues to unlock, yet WLD has completed $65 million in over-the-counter financing: who is still footing the bill?
Potential Bitcoin Crash Below $60K May Delay Recovery to 2027
Key Takeaways: Bitcoin’s deep drawdown phase may extend recovery to the second quarter of 2027. Historical data shows…
BTC USD Price Drops Below $67K Amid Rising Treasury Yields
Key Takeaways: BTC USD slumped to $66,300, its first drop below $67K since March 9, driven by macroeconomic…
Second Bill Targets Insider Trading in Prediction Markets
Key Takeaways: The Public Integrity in Financial Prediction Markets Act of 2026 prohibits government officials from using insider…
India Apprehends Key Figure in Myanmar Crypto Fraud Complex
Key Takeaways: India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested a key player in a scam that trafficked Indian…
Bitcoin and Profit Metrics: Will History Repeat Itself?
Key Takeaways: Historical patterns reveal that when Bitcoin’s supply in profit falls below 50%, significant price rallies ensue.…
