Miles Guo, also known as Guo Wengui, a self-exiled Chinese billionaire business tycoon, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on June 29 in federal court in Manhattan. The sentence follows his conviction for fraud after duping investors out of $1 billion.
Guo branded himself as a China critic and a crusader against the communist government in Beijing, fostering ties to the American right. He used this persona to gain followers who backed his fraudulent schemes.
While Guo claimed he came to the United States to destroy the Chinese Communist Party, the judge ruled that he instead diverted investor money to live lavishly. In addition to the prison term, the judge ordered Guo to forfeit $889 million in restitution.