Chinese National Sentenced in $37 Million Crypto Scam Targeting Americans
A Chinese national, Jingliang Su, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for his role in a cryptocurrency fraud that swindled approximately $37 million from 174 U.S. victims, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Department of Justice. Su pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to operate an illegal money transmitting business.
Su laundered the money through scam centers located in Cambodia, according to Fortune. The scheme involved befriending Americans on social media and gaining their trust before defrauding them. The sentencing comes amid a year where mostly Chinese scammers stole a record $17 billion from individuals. Scam centers have become prevalent in Southeast Asian countries like Myanmar, and recent kidnappings in the region have been linked to these fraud hubs, Fortune reported. This case is emblematic of a broader trend of highly organized scams targeting individuals online.
Ilhan Omar Attacked at Town Hall Event
In Minneapolis, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota was sprayed with an unknown liquid from a syringe during a town hall event on Tuesday. According to multiple outlets, the suspect was identified by Minneapolis Police as 55-year-old Anthony J. Kazmierczak. He was apprehended by security and arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault. The police investigation is ongoing. Court documents show Kazmierczak was convicted of driving while impaired in two separate incidents in 2010 and in 2009. On Facebook, Kazmierczak has switched his profile pictures to Trump many times while also uploading cartoons criticizing Democrats policies. In early January, a Quora account under the same name and profile picture posted about his support for Donald Trump.
Esposito Calls for Revolution Amidst Political Tensions
Giancarlo Esposito called for a revolution amidst rising political tensions and protests against the Trump administration's ICE policies, particularly mass deportations in Minneapolis, during the Sundance Film Festival's final year in Park City, according to multiple news sources. The festival's politically charged atmosphere reflects concerns over federal enforcement tactics and alleged civil rights violations.
Meta Reports Record Revenue, Invests Heavily in AI
Meta, the world's largest social media company, reported record revenue and profits for the fourth quarter of 2025, surpassing Wall Street expectations. The company plans to invest billions more into artificial intelligence initiatives this year, betting that will propel future growth, Variety reported.
US–China AI Race Intensifies
On January 20, 2025, the same day as Donald Trump's inauguration, a Chinese firm called DeepSeek released R1, an AI model that industry watchers called a Sputnik moment for the countrys AI industry, Time reported. "Whether we like it or not, we're suddenly engaged in a fast-paced competition to build and define this groundbreaking technology that will determine so much about the future of civilization," said Trump later that year, as he announced his administrations AI action plan, which was titled Winning the Race. "There are many interpretations of what AI companies and their governments are racing towards," says AI policy researcher Lennart Heim: "to deploy AI systems in the economy, to build robots, to create AI weapons."
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