Published by
Reuters
Reuters
By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -The U.S. government on Wednesday charged Guo Wengui, an exiled Chinese businessman with ties to former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon, with leading a complex conspiracy to defraud his online followers out of more than $1 billion. Authorities said Guo, with help from his longtime financial adviser Kin Ming Je, cheated thousands of followers by promising “outsized” investment returns, but diverted much of their money to fund lavish lifestyles for himself and his family. The alleged improper purchases included a $37 million yacht, a 50,000 square-foot ma…