Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Another article of how WCM got smashed in China (AGAIN), translated

Previously #MLMskeptic translated the article from LegalDaily.com.cn about how WCM got smashed. This time we're translating a different article of the same event, with additional details.

http://tech.ifeng.com/a/20160514/41608055_0.shtml

海归硕士开空壳公司 以“虚拟货币”连环套诈骗数亿

Master Degree Open Shell Companies, "Cryptocurrency" Scammed Hundreds of Millions


来源:澎湃新闻 
2015年5月,广东肇庆市公安局鼎湖分局经侦大队接群众谢某报案称:其听信嫌疑人梁某花之言,以26000元的价格购买了万通奇迹社交资本云计算平台(以下简称“万通奇迹”)套装产品。开通万通卡成为会员后申请提现,原本每天可分红32美元,但至今未收到分红款项,本金也无法退回。

In May 2015, Zhaoqing City, Dinghu Branch, Economic Investigation Unit (EIU from now on), in Guangdong province received report from citizen Xie, who claimed that he was fooled into believe a Ms. Liang and purchased several Wantong Miracle  (WM from now on) Suites for 26000 RMB, received the WM card, and was supposed to receive daily profit of 32 USD, but so far received nothing, and there's no sign of his original investment.

经广东省公安厅经侦总队组织广州、深圳、肇庆三市警方同时开展行动,一起未经有关部门批准,假借投资原始股权理财、电子商务等新概念,以承诺还本付息来吸引公众投资的特大非法吸收公众存款案由此揭开。

With economic investigation unit of three cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Zhaoqing cooperating, they revealed a huge illegal securities crime, that never was approved or licensed by authorities, and uses buzzwords such as protoshare investment product, e-commerce, and so on, with promises of huge profits.

近日,深圳市公安局经侦支队向澎湃新闻透露,这起案件涉及全国28个省147个县市区5800多名投资人,涉案金额数亿元。目前该案在进一步侦办中。

Recently, Shenzhen EIU told Penpai News that this scam has victims in 28 provinces, 147 jurisdictions, and over 5800 victims, with amount of scam in the hundreds of millions of RMB. Investigation is ongoing.

办案民警介绍,2013年5月,万通奇迹系列融资产品由所谓某投资银行控股集团董事长徐某、CEO刘某及执行董事徐某忠、“金融学家”孙某等人策划成立。
Police investigator said in May 2013, WM series of securities was established by Mr. Xu, president of some investment bank holding group, a Mr. Liu, CEO, an executive director Mr. Xu something Zhong, and a "financial scholar" Mr. Sun

轻信万通奇迹投资收益高被套牢
Belief in WM Investment Profit, Ensnared in Trap


湖南长沙的陈女士是万通奇迹的投资者之一。2013年9月,好友陈某芬告知她称,有一个叫万通的公司发布了万通奇迹系列产品,投资收益高,让她了解一下。

Ms. Chen of Changsha, Hunan province, was an investment in WM. In September 2013, a friend Chen (something) Fang told her that this Wantong (WT from now on) company released a series of WM products, promised huge profits if invested. Asked her to look into it.

随后,陈女士在网上查询了有关万通公司老总徐某的资料。“网上的徐某是天使投资人,作为投资银行的董事,曾帮助7家中国公司在国外上市。”

Later, Ms. Chen searched the boss of Wantong, a Mr. Xu online. "Xu, online, is an angel investor, CEO of an investment bank, helped 7 Chinese companies get listed in foreign exchanges."

陈女士信以为真,加入了一个万通奇迹的QQ群,看到有消息称万通公司将于2013年11月在深圳举行招商会,禁不住诱惑的她从长沙赶到深圳参会。

Ms. Chen believed all these to be true, and joined a WM related QQ Chat group, and learned of a recruiting meeting held by Wantong in Shenzhen coming in November 2013. Unable to resist, she went to Shenzhen to attend the meeting.

据其回忆,当天有几百人参会,万通公司的执行董事周某口若悬河,描绘了一番美好前景,并回答了参会人员的提问。

Based on memory, there were hundreds of people there. Wantong's executive direct, Mr. Zhou, promised the sun and the moon, described a bright future, and answered all of the questions from the attendants.

“投资13000元,每天收益近100元,收益挺高。”会后不久,陈女士即出资39000元买了三套万通奇迹WCM705(每份1999美元)产品。

"If I invest 13000, I can profit 100 per day, that's very high profit." Not long after the meet, Ms. Chen bought in with 39000 RMB and bought three of the WM suite called "WCM705", at $1999 USD each.

陈女士介绍,万通奇迹系列套餐有5种投资金额,分别为399美元、799美元、1999美元、1599美元和1999美元,金额不同每日分红也不同。如购买一套1999美元产品,每日可分红16个电子币,相当于16美元。

Ms. Chen explained that WM suite has 5 amounts: $399, $799, $999, $1599, and $1999. Daily profit is dependent on the amount invested. For the $1999 suite, daily share is 16 E-points, worth 16 USD.

购买万通奇迹产品后,陈女士还在万通公司网站注册成为会员,登陆后可浏览个人资料及账户上的电子币。最初她还能正常提现,不料没几日,提现就出了问题。

After the purchase of these suites, Ms. Chen registered in WM website, and can view her account and accumulated e-points, and even cash out at the beginning, but soon, cashing out became a problem.

“先是被拖延,后来干脆就不能提现了,2014年4月,连网站都打不开了。”陈女士遂询问好友陈某芬的上线王某波,但对方也没说出个所以然来。

"First it was delays, then later all cashing out was stopped. By April 2014, the entire website is gone." Ms. Chen asked her friend's upline, a Mr. Wang (something) Po, but he had no explanation.

2015年5月,陈女士获悉徐某在深圳新开了万怡通国际投资发展(深圳)有限公司(下称“万怡通公司”),而且还将在一五星级酒店召开投资宣传会,她又赶了过去。

In May 2015, Ms. Chen hard that Mr. Xu has established a new company in Shenzhen called WanYiTong (WYT from now on), and will do a promo event at a 5-star hotel. She went to check it out.



“他和参会的人谈怎样经营公司,以及如何挽回以前投资的损失。”陈女士说,此后,徐某就在微信群发布公告称:原万通奇迹会员,如果将原损失金额的1%汇入新成立的万怡通公司银行账号,就可成为新会员,还可把原来亏损的电子币激活转为“爱币”。

"He talked with the attendants about how to operate the company, how to recover the previous investment losses." Ms. Chen said, later, Mr. Xu announced via WeChat group that all original WM members can get a headstart in the WYT company by wiring 1% of the previously lost amount to WYT, become new WYT member, and converted the original e-Points into "AiBi" (LoveCoins).

为什么愿意激活“爱币”?陈女士说,一方面是想挽回损失,另一方面是因为徐某明确表示新成立的公司上市后,“爱币”可转为公司的原始股权。于是,她将390元汇了出去,换来了虚拟的“爱币”。

Why was she willing to believe in LoveCoins? Ms. Chen said, part of it is hoping to recover her losses, and part of it is Mr. Xu expressed clearly that when the new company IPO, the LoveCoins can be converted into company protoshares. Thus, she wired the company another $390 RMB, and got back a bunch of virtual currency "LoveCoins".


百般抵赖,拖延投资者提现
One excuse after another, delay investors from cashing out

办案民警介绍,2013年5月,万通奇迹系列融资产品由所谓某投资银行控股集团董事长徐某、CEO刘某及执行董事徐某忠、“金融学家”孙某等人策划成立。

Police investigator explained that WM was launched in May 2013 by a Mr. Xu, so-called some investment bank holding group President, Mr. Liu CEO, Executive Director Mr. Xu something Zhong, and "financial scholar" Mr. Sun.

徐某是江苏丹阳人,1972年出生,1992年至1996年就读于北京某高校,1999年至2001年在美国南加州大学读硕士。此后他在投资银行行业工作过,2012年投资万通公司。

Mr. Xu is from Danyang, in Jiangsu province, and born in 1972. In 1992-1996 he studied at a university in Beijing, and in 1999-2001 got a masters at USC. Later he worked at investment banking industry, and went into WT in 2012.

万通奇迹最初以北京为中心,号称可利用互联网云服务、云计算和全球零售折扣系统为客户提供资本增值,还承诺会员购买系列套装后,可注册成为万通卡会员,往后每日可获得分红,最高分红次数为100次。其中电子钱包分红16电子币可申请提现,购物钱包分红16电子币可用于网上购物。

WM started expansion centered on Beijing, claiming to be using Internet cloud services, cloud computing, and work retail discount system to provide clients with "capital appreciation". WM promised that once members purchases the various system suites, registered as WT Card member, then every day they will be able to profit share, up to 100 times. The profit share comes in two forms: the 16 E-points share can be cashed out, while 16 points of wallet shares can be used for online purchases.

办案民警称,2013年6月,全国各地大量购买万通奇迹系列套装资金汇入徐某等人控制的北京公司及境外公司账户内,原本承诺的分红电子币数额急速增加,会员申请提现增速快。当年底,徐某等人为防止资金倒流,通过限制提现金额、拖延提现期限等方式,限制、拖延会员提现。

Investigator claimed that in June 2013, a huge number of purchases of the various suites got capital flowing into the Beijing company operated by Xu, et al, and its foreign accounts, and the promised profit share started to accumulate rapidly, and the cash out requests rose quickly as well. By the end of the year, Xu, et all, trying to prevent the cash drain, started implementing cash out limits, increase the cash out delay, and basically limit and delay any sort of member withdrawal.

2014年7月,徐某还以引进新财团需转接新旧服务器、整合数据等为借口,暂停会员提现。同年10月份,徐某又以需处理境外事务和会员申报损失为借口,继续拖延会员提现。

In July 2014, Xu, using the excuse that he had to integrate system with a new financial group, stopped withdrawals altogether. In October same year, Xu further claimed that he need to take care of business abroad and there were a lot of losses by members, and continued to prevent withdrawals.

“实际上当时徐某正被公安机关查处,2014年8月,他在未返还投资人的投资款的情况下,停止出售万通奇迹系列套装产品,并关闭了万通公司的网站。”办案民警说。

"The truth is Xu is being investigated by Chinese Public Security. In August 2014, without returning any of the investor's capital, he stopped selling the WM products, and closed the website." Investigator said.


成立十余家空壳公司,诱骗公众投资
Established a dozen empty shell companies, continue to scam public into investing

万通公司这根线断掉之后,徐某利用万通奇迹平台和人员渠道,另起炉灶,继续从事非法吸收公众存款的活动。

After Wantong (WT) died, Xu used the Wantong Miracle (WM) platform and people to restart the scheme under a different name, continue to sell illegal securities.

这起案件有另外两个不得不提的人物,分别是徐某的父亲徐某俊和徐某的表兄汤某祥。

This case has two other character that must be mentioned... Xu's father Xu (unknown) Jun, and Xu's cousin, Tang (unknown) Xiang

办案民警介绍,2015年5月,徐某纠集徐某俊、汤某祥等人成立万怡通公司、国度金融控股投资(深圳)有限公司、百人网络科技(深圳)有限公司等十余家公司。其中汤某祥为万怡通公司的法人代表,徐某俊为国度金控等余下十余家公司的法人代表。为撇清关系,由徐某担任这些公司的顾问,事实上徐某为幕后操控者。

Investigator explained, in May 2015, Xu organized Xu (Sr.) and Tang to established WanYiTong (WYT from now on), Kingdom Financial Holding Investment, HundredNet Tech, and a dozen other companies. WYT is supposedly owned by Tang, while Kingdom Financial is supposedly held by Xu Sr., and Xu was supposedly their consultant. In reality Xu controlled all of these entities.

上述公司成立后,徐某即在微信群及原万通奇迹平台发布信息,表示为弥补原万通奇迹投资者的损失,原万通卡会员只要缴纳损失额1%的费用,即可注册成为国度金控的会员,原损失被激活成为“爱币”。“爱币”不可提现,但可购买公司的原始股权。

After establishing these companies, Xu released news in the original WM platform, and the QQ / WeChat groups that he has a way to help make up the losses suffered by all the WM investors. All WT Card members just pay 1% of the amount they lost, and they will become Kingdom's members, and the originally loss will be converted into "AiBi" (LoveCoin). LoveCoin cannot be cashed out, but can be used to purchase the company's protoshares.

徐某供称,他用三个手机号分别注册了三个不同的微信号,目的就是为了建立多个微信群,“安抚”过去投资万通奇迹受损的群众。

Xu confessed that he used three separate phones to register 3 separate WeChat accounts, to create multiple WeChat groups, in order to "appease"the crowd that suffered losses under WM.

事实上,国度金控、百人网等十余家公司均是空壳运转,其中,万怡通公司和百人网公司的认缴注册资本虽都是10000万元,但实缴均是0元。办案民警说,这些公司不过是徐某欺骗投资者的幌子,他们仅靠投资者的钱款来弥补公司运营成本。

In reality, Kingdom, HundredNet, and the dozen companies are all empty shells. WYT and HundredNet registered claiming they have 100 million RMB in capital in shares, but it actually had no capital at all. Investigator said, these companies are merely a guise Xu used to cheat all the investors. Company has no funds other than those deposited by investors.

“他们通过互联网、微博、微信、召开新闻发布会等方式宣称国度金控将推出‘IPL板’业务(即自行发行公司股份、认购、挂牌交易),推动这十余家子公司于3-24个月内挂牌上市,以此欺骗社会公众购买上述公司原始股权,达到非法吸收公众存款的目的。”办案民警说。

"They used Internet, Weibo, WeChat, news conference, and other methods to claim that Kingdom will soon go IPO (issue its own shares, get listed in stock exchanges), in order to push the dozen or so subsidiaries to go IPO in the next 3-24 months, thus defrauding the public into purchases the "protoshares" of these companies, and thus, selling illegal securities." Investigators explained.


主犯用多个虚假头衔欺骗投资者

Primary Suspect Used Various Fake Titles to Deceive Investors

在两年多的时间内,徐某等人非法吸收公众存款案涉及全国28个省的5800多名投资人。为何会有这么多投资者上当?

In the two or so years, Xu, et all managed to illegally solicit investment from over 5800 people in 28 different provinces. Why were so many investors scammed?

“徐某很会包装自己,也会宣传自己,容易让群众上当受骗。”办案民警介绍,万通公司官网显示,徐某有“中国企业海外发展中心理事长”、“世界华商联合会副秘书长”等多个头衔,但实际上这些头衔均是假的。

"Xu is very good in presenting himself, and promoting himself, as to trick the masses" Investigator explained. On the WT website, Xu claimed to be "Director, China Overseas Development Center", "Deputy Secretary, World Federation of Chinese Entrepreneurs", and a litany of long-winded titles. In fact, all these titles are bogus.

办案民警还说,每次召开招商会,徐某都选择在五星级酒店举办,办公地点均设在深圳繁华地段的高档写字楼,这些给投资者一种“高大上”的假象,诱骗投资者上当。

Police investigator said, whenever Xu conducts an investment promo, he chose to do it at a 5-star hotel. Their office was in a prime commercial section of Shenzhen, in a prime office building. Which gave the investors a false impression of prestige to further deceive them.

据汤某祥供称,万通公司关停后,新成立的国度金控公司一方面将原万通卡老会员,通过电子币激活的形式转换成新公司的会员,另一方面通过百人网络等渠道举办论坛、推荐会,还采用老会员带新会员的方式,线下发展会员。

According to Tang (Xu's cousin), once WT closed, Kingdom tried to convert the old WT members over using the E-Coin activation ruse, while also used the HundredNet and online forums to promote and entice others to join, with incentive to existing members to bring in new members as downlines.

“我介绍两个姐姐投资万通奇迹,而后她们又介绍其他亲友投资。”陈女士说,若介绍一名新人购买1999美元的万通奇迹产品,会有304美元的奖励,因为奖励高,会员都比较乐意介绍新人投资。

"I introduced two sisters to invest in WM, and they recruited additional friends and family to invest." Ms. Chen said. There is a $304 USD commission for introducing someone who buy the $1999 suite, so there were a lot of people who are willing to introduce new investors into the network.

办案民警还介绍,新成立的国度金控在全国65市发展65名“国度市长”,如“国度广州市长”、“国度成都市长”等,这些“市长”负责管理协调当地会员工作,如帮助那些不会使用网络的老年投资者向万怡通公司账号汇款,代他人激活“爱币”等。当然这些“市长”都会获得相应的奖励。

Investigator explained further, that the Kingdom company also created "Kingdom Mayors" in 65 cities around the country, such as "Kingdom Guangzhou Mayor", "Kingdom Chengdu Mayor" and so on who are responsible to control local members, such as helping old investors who don't know the Internet to register online, to wire money to WYT's account, to help others "activate" the LoveCoins. Obviously such "mayors" are appropriately compensated.

警方认为,徐某等人利用实际零出资的万怡通公司,许诺固定分红,以补偿万通卡会员现金净损失为由,在不具备发行股票发行资质的前提下,通过微信、网站等方式,向不特定人员承诺给予不属于真正意义上的货币(“爱币”)补偿和虚拟股份奖励,这一运作模式及行为涉嫌非法吸收公众存款罪

Police believe that Xu, et al, used a zero-fund WYT company, "promised fixed profit share, using the claim that they are compensating members of Wantong Card their net losses, having no qualifications or capital to be issuing stocks or securities, using WeChat, Websites, and soon, promised to the public they will be compensated by virtual shares (protoshares) and virtual coins (LoveCoin). This operation is suspected of illegally soliciting deposit from the public (selling illegal securities).

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With all these details, it's IMPOSSIBLE to imagine this can be anyone other than Phil Ming Xu of WCM777. The only question is whether he's in custody in China or not, and how will Chinese justice deal with him.

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