A dual national of China and St. Kitts and Nevis, Daren Li was sentenced in absentia to the statutory maximum of 20 years for his role in an international cryptocurrency investment conspiracy that laundered over $73 million. Li previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering; authorities say the scheme operated from scam centers in Cambodia and used spoofed trading sites and U.S. shell companies to move funds before converting them to crypto.

On February 9, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Daren Li, a dual national of China and St. Kitts and Nevis, was sentenced in absentia to 240 months (20 years) in prison for his role in an international cryptocurrency investment conspiracy. Li had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to DOJ filings, the scheme was run from scam centers in Cambodia and victimized investors worldwide, moving and laundering more than $73 million. The conspirators allegedly recruited victims to spoofed trading websites, used U.S. shell companies to receive and layer illicit proceeds, and ultimately converted funds into various cryptocurrencies to obscure their origin. The sentence represents the statutory maximum and underscores law enforcement efforts to disrupt cross-border crypto-enabled fraud and money laundering. The DOJ emphasized coordination with international partners and investigative prioritization of networks that exploit emerging financial technologies to hide stolen funds and target victims globally.