This case fully demonstrates the professional competence of Attorney Gao Mengyang’s team in handling novel criminal cases involving virtual asset exchanges.
In the field of criminal defense, cases involving the crime of opening a casino are often extremely difficult to defend due tothe large number of individuals involved, complex factual determinations, and strict sentencing standards,posing significant challenges for defense counsel. Recently,Attorney Gao Mengyang, a senior criminal lawyer at Mankun Law Firm,achieved breakthrough results in two major criminal cases involving cryptocurrency exchanges accused of operating casinos. Leveraging his refined professional expertise and keen grasp of case details, he secured highly favorable legal outcomes for his clients.
Case of a Cryptocurrency Exchange in S City, H Province: Achieving a Rare Defense Outcome—Suspended Sentences for All Defendants (Including Senior Executives)
In this case,Attorney Gao Mengyang’s teamproactively challenged the electronic data appraisal opinions by analyzing the underlying logic of the cryptocurrency exchange’s business model. The team conducted systematic evidentiary and sentencing defenses tailored to each defendant’s level of participation and job responsibilities.Ultimately, none of the suspects in the case received immediate imprisonment; all were granted suspended sentences.Such an outcome, where all defendants receive suspended sentences, is relatively rare in judicial practice,reflecting the attorney’s professional capability to deliver comprehensive and meticulous defense strategies in complex joint crime cases.
Case of a Cryptocurrency Exchange in B City, J Province: First-Instance Sentence Reduced by Nearly Half; Second Instance Results in Suspended Sentences for All Accomplices and Successful Recovery of RMB 8.66 Million in Assets
During the first-instance trial, the procuratorate recommended a sentence of eight years and six months for the actual controller of the exchange. ThroughAttorney Gao Mengyang’s team’svigorous defense across three court hearings, the first-instance court ultimately sentenced the defendant to five years and six months, while RMB 13 million of the client’s assets were seized. The team continued its representation in the second instance, steering the overall defense strategy. The appellate court ultimately accepted the attorneys’ arguments, converting the sentences of all accomplices to suspended sentences. According to the presiding judge, this was the only case involving suspended sentences for this charge in the locality in recent years. Furthermore, the teamsuccessfully recovered RMB 8.66 million in seized assets, achieving a dual reversal in both criminal sentencing and asset disposition.
Excerpts from the judgment are presented below:
This case fully demonstratesAttorney Gao Mengyang’s team’sprofessional competence in handling novel criminal cases involving virtual asset exchanges: Incomplex joint crime cases,the team accurately mapped out the evidentiary framework of the entire case and clarified the boundaries of each defendant’s liability. During the second-instance proceedings, the team precisely identifiedcore disputed issues such as 'determination of business nature,' 'distinction of accomplice status,' and 'classification of asset nature,'and drove a reversal of the case outcome throughrigorous legal argumentation.Particularly in matters concerning the disposition of crypto-related assets, the team demonstrated comprehensive capabilities in integrating technical facts with legal application.
Attorney Gao Mengyang’s team specializes incriminal risk prevention and defense in the fields of cryptocurrency, blockchain, and Web3,excelling in securing optimal legal outcomes for clients in novel and complex cases. If you or your enterprise face criminal risks or compliance needs related to digital assets, cryptocurrency trading, or platform operations, please feel free to contact Attorney Gao Mengyang’s team. Mankun Law Firm will leverage its professional legal services and extensive practical experience to help you effectively address challenges and safeguard your legitimate rights and interests.
Introduction to Attorney Gao Mengyang’s Cases and Publications:
Cases:
- A major contract fraud case supervised by the Ministry of Public Security, involving RMB 6 billion; effective defense resulted in a five-year reduction in the sentence.
- A cryptocurrency trading case involving fraud allegations, with detention in two locations; bail was granted within 15 days, and the investigation was subsequently discontinued.
- A core employee of a top-ten cryptocurrency exchange faced charges of operating a casino; ultimately received a suspended sentence.
- A token issuance project involved in fraud allegations; after one year of proceedings, a decision of non-prosecution was finally obtained.
- A prominent key opinion leader (KOL) in the crypto space faced criminal charges following a project collapse; defense efforts eliminated criminal risks, and the matter was converted into a civil dispute.
- A commercial bribery case involving staff of a crypto project; the procuratorate issued a decision of non-prosecution.
- An investor in a Web3 project was subject to joint cross-provincial law enforcement actions; the suspect status was removed, and the individual was ultimately cleared of involvement.
- A criminal case involving a cryptocurrency exchange; the recommended sentence of nine years was successfully reduced to five and a half years through defense efforts.
- A smuggling case; after the client’s arrest, the final sentence matched the time already served.
- An online fraud case; following arrest, the defendant was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment with a five-year probation period and released in court.
- A foreign exchange platform case involving illegal business operations; a suspended sentence was ultimately achieved.
- A user rights protection case involving an NFT platform; investment funds were recovered after successful criminal complaints.
Publications:
《Criminal Liability for NFT Digital Collectible Platforms: How Is the Crime Amount Determined?》
《Overview of High-Frequency Criminal Charges Involving Virtual Currencies in China》
《Crypto Industry Workers: A Guide to Avoiding Criminal Pitfalls》
《Massive Losses in NFT Entrepreneurship, Yet Charged with Online Fraud?》
