A dual China–St. Kitts and Nevis national, Daren Li, was sentenced in absentia to the statutory maximum 20 years for his central role in an international cryptocurrency investment conspiracy. Li admitted laundering at least $73.6 million taken from victims; he is a fugitive after absconding in December 2025 and faces three years of supervised release if captured.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced that Daren Li was sentenced in absentia to 240 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release for participating in an international cryptocurrency investment fraud run from scam centers in Cambodia. According to prosecutors, Li admitted laundering at least $73.6 million in proceeds siphoned from victims across multiple countries. Investigators detailed a sophisticated operation that used spoofed websites, social-media contact, and romantic and tech‑support lures to induce victims to wire funds or transfer cryptocurrency to controlled accounts. The conspiracy relied on layered international bank and crypto transfers and shell accounts to obscure origins of stolen funds. Li fled U.S. law enforcement in December 2025 and remains a fugitive; the DOJ said it will continue coordinating with international partners to trace and return funds to victims and to disrupt the physical and cyber infrastructure of scam centers. The case underscores persistent cross‑border challenges in policing crypto-enabled investment fraud and laundering networks.