Source: BBC News [UK state media]
“US authorities have charged a Chinese property tycoon based in New York with orchestrating a billion-dollar fraud. Guo Wengui and one of his business partners, Kin Ming Je, are accused of wire fraud, securities fraud, bank fraud and money laundering. Mr Guo is a critic of the Chinese government and an associate of ex-White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon. A fire broke out at Mr Guo’s Manhattan penthouse apartment hours after he was arrested. A spokesman for the city’s fire department said the fire was put out, no injuries were reported and the cause is still under investigation. In an online post earlier, Mr Guo said he was handcuffed and interrogated for more than an hour. … In 2017, he claimed political asylum in the United States, alleging persecution by Communist Party authorities.” (03/15/23)