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Chinese Hunan Procuratorate Cracks Down on New Money Laundering Chain Using Maotai Liquor Transactions as Cover and Cryptocurrency as Channel

2 hours ago

**Hunan Court Convicts 8 in Money Laundering Scheme Tied to Moutai, Crypto** A Chinese court has handed down first-instance sentences to 8 defendants in a money laundering case in Xiangtan’s Yuetang District, Hunan Province, state media reported. The scheme—using Moutai liquor transactions as a cover and cryptocurrency as a channel—was fully dismantled, involving over 6.84 million yuan (≈$950,000) in illicit funds. The gang operated with clear roles: - Chen coordinated with upstream actors via overseas encrypted messaging to receive telecom fraud proceeds, then contacted “U Merchants” to convert funds into crypto. - Xie provided criminal tools and compiled fund details. - Huang used sham Moutai transactions (via legitimate-looking shells) to hide money trails. - Remaining members assisted with fund settlements and information sharing. The group disguised overseas fraud gains as legitimate business income via fake liquor deals, converted them to crypto for upstream actors, and took an 8% commission per laundering transaction. The scheme was exposed in December 2023 after a victim filed a report. Yuetang District’s procuratorate intervened early, guiding police to trace nearly 20 million yuan in fund flows and massive electronic data for full-chain crackdown and evidence collection. **Sentences:** - Xie and 7 accomplices: Convicted of concealing/disguising criminal proceeds, sentenced to 2–6 years in prison. - Liang (lesser involvement): 1 year in prison, suspended for 1 year. Source: Huasheng Online
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UBS Predicts S&P 500 Index Will Skyrocket to 7700 Points

On March 20, UBS remains bullish on U.S. equities, forecasting the S&P 500 Index will hit 7,300 by mid-2026 and 7,700 by year-end, per Bloomberg Terminal data. The firm cites three key drivers for the upward trend: strong profit growth, expected Federal Reserve rate cuts, and AI-driven economic expansion. UBS projects 11% profit growth for 2026. Geopolitical risks are viewed as temporary, and the bank expects the energy market to stabilize. While ongoing volatility could pressure stocks, historical trends show markets typically rebound after such events. Despite recent market turbulence, UBS maintains an optimistic overall outlook for U.S. stocks.

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Ripple and Its Cofounders Each Donate $5 Million to Fight California Wealth Tax

On March 20, TheStreet reported that Ripple and its co-founder/executive chairman Chris Larsen each donated $5 million to the political action committee (PAC) Golden State Promise to fight California’s proposed “2026 Billionaire Tax Act.” The measure would force billionaires living in California as of January 1, 2026, to pay a one-time 5% wealth tax—with 90% of the proceeds earmarked for public healthcare. Kraken co-founder Jesse Powell slammed the proposal as a “5% theft on unrealized gains.” In response, several billionaires (including Google co-founders Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and venture capitalist Peter Thiel) have chosen to leave the state.

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AlphaTON Capital has acquired a 60% stake in GAMEE for a maximum of $11 million in transaction value

**March 20th — AlphaTON Capital, the Nasdaq-listed firm under TON Finance, has finalized an agreement to acquire a 60% stake in gaming platform GAMEE for up to $11 million in total consideration, including a performance-linked additional payment over a two-year period.** GAMEE is a wholly owned subsidiary of Animoca Brands, with the platform valued at $18 million in the transaction. Under the deal terms: - AlphaTON Capital will assume day-to-day operational management of GAMEE; - The two parties will form a formal strategic alliance; - Animoca Brands is barred from acquiring a stake in AlphaTON Capital for two years. (Source: GlobeNewswire)

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Federal Reserve Governor Bowman: Still Expects Three Rate Cuts by 2026

March 20 — Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman said Wednesday she still expects three interest rate cuts by 2026. (Xinhua)

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Guizhou Police in China Bust Virtual Currency Transaction Fraud Case, Scammer Uses "Read-Only Wallet" to Disguise USDT Transaction

On March 20, police in Wanshan District, Tongren City, Guizhou Province, China, uncovered a virtual currency fraud case. Victim Mr. Chen lost 7,118 U Coins (worth over 50,000 yuan) in an offline USDT transaction. Scammer Mr. Tan used a "read-only wallet" (an address that only allows receiving funds and viewing balances) and a cash display scheme to trick Chen. Investigators found Tan first showed cash to gain Chen’s trust, then immediately transferred the funds and denied the transaction after Chen sent the U Coins to the read-only wallet. The case remains under further investigation. Police are warning the public: - Virtual currency-related transactions are illegal financial activities with significant risks; - Offline cash displays could be a scammer’s ploy; - Always confirm the legitimacy of a wallet address before transferring funds. (Source: Guangming Daily)

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Caixin: DCEP Operating Agency to Expand, 12 Commercial Banks May Join

**12 Commercial Banks Likely to Join PBOC Digital Yuan System on March 20** Twelve commercial banks are expected to connect to the People’s Bank of China (PBOC)’s digital yuan system on March 20, following an initial 10 institutions that include China’s six major state-owned lenders. The potential new members include 7 nationwide joint-stock banks (SPDB, CGB, HXB, CMBC, CEB, CZBank, and Hengfeng Bank) and 5 local city commercial banks: Jiangsu Bank, Bank of Beijing, Bank of Ningbo, Bank of Nanjing, and Bank of Suzhou, according to reports. As of now, the digital yuan’s operating institutions are: ICBC, ABC, BOC, CCB, BOCOM, PSBC, CMB, CIB, WeBank, and Webank, per Caixin.

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