Guo Wengui, a self-exiled Chinese businessman in the US who was once considered China's richest man, was convicted on Tuesday of massive fraud, which lasted for years and affected many of his supporters.
His criticism of the Chinese Communist Party has earned him legions of followers on social media and powerful friends in the American conservative movement.
Arrested in New York in March 2023, Guo was accused of promoting a series of fraudulent businesses since 2018.
Over the course of the seven-week trial, he was accused of deceiving thousands of people who invested in fictitious projects, using the money to maintain a luxurious lifestyle.
Guo left China in 2014, during an anti-corruption campaign that involved people close to him, including an intelligence officer.
Chinese authorities accused him of rape, kidnapping, corruption and other crimes, but Guo said the charges were false.
He said that these accusations were made to punish him for publicly revealing corruption in China, through his criticism of Communist Party leaders.
Afterwards, he requested political asylum in the USA; He moved into a luxurious apartment overlooking Central Park and joined Donald Trump's golf club in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
Living in New York, Guo developed a close relationship with Trump's former political strategist, Steve Bannon.
In 2020, Guo and Bannon announced a joint initiative to overthrow the Chinese government.
Prosecutors said hundreds of thousands of investors were convinced to invest more than a billion dollars in entities controlled by Guo.
