Bamboo Union Gang Hongrenhuida Members Turning on Each Other! Dissatisfied with Crypto Circle Agent Job-Hopping, They Set Up a Frame to Rob 330,000 USDT, Prosecutors Seek 23 Years

Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office has concluded an investigation into a robbery case involving crypto industry agents. The main suspect is Li You-Kuan, a member of the Bamboo Union’s Hong Ren Society. Dissatisfied with virtual currency agents “switching jobs” and affecting his interests, he set up a trap to lure victims out, using violence and threats to force them to transfer encrypted assets and hand over property. He controlled the victim’s actions and forced him to transfer 330,000 USDT from his phone. The prosecution has charged eight suspects with aggravated robbery and deprivation of liberty, seeking sentences of 10 to 23 years in prison.

In recent years, with the rapid development of the virtual asset market, Taiwan has seen a large number of exchange agents and a “downline-upline” system, similar to multi-level marketing structures, leading to highly concentrated capital flow and social networks. However, the market has long lacked regulation and transparency, allowing some underground forces to intervene. Behind some agent systems are complex interpersonal and利益关系, even overlapping with gang forces. Virtual assets are increasingly targeted by criminal groups, leading to frequent “black on black” incidents in the crypto world.

Trap set with filming to lure crypto influencers out, armed threats to transfer USDT

The indictment states that Li You-Kuan, dissatisfied with agents switching to other exchanges affecting his commissions, used the pretext of “jumping ship together” to invite the victim. After meeting in person, several accomplices restrained the victim with belts and threatened him with knives and guns, forcing him to transfer over 330,000 USDT to a designated account.

Another incident occurred on February 15 of the same year, when Li You-Kuan, under the guise of “filming short videos,” tricked another crypto influencer and his wife to meet. Upon arrival, they were ambushed by several men in black and forced to transfer about NT$620,000 worth of USDT, and even had a Maserati worth approximately NT$1.1 million stolen.

Violent detention, forced nude photos, main suspect fleeing overseas to remotely direct crimes

Prosecutors state that after the crimes, the suspect quickly fled overseas but continued to remotely command accomplices via mobile phones to control the victim. During the process, they not only restricted the victim’s personal freedom but also coerced the woman to take nude photos as blackmail, causing serious physical and psychological trauma. One accomplice, a few days after the incident, drove the stolen Maserati on Zhonghe Road on National Highway 3 and was involved in a car accident, leading to his arrest and the case being exposed.

Currently, main suspect Li You-Kuan and several core members are still at large overseas. The prosecution has issued arrest warrants. Prosecutors point out that this case involves not only violent detention and assault but also sexual image threats and other malicious acts. The methods are brutal and organized, causing significant property and psychological harm to the victims. They request the court to impose heavy sentences.

(Taiwan crypto gang involved in continuous robberies? An exchange agent was set up, tortured, and extorted, with total losses reaching NT$13 million)

It is worth noting that this case’s methods are highly similar to a series of robberies exposed in 2025. At that time, an agent in Taipei’s Ximen District was lured with a “video invitation” setup, ambushed by several men in black wielding knives and guns, detained for a day, and forced to surrender virtual assets. The total loss from these cases reached NT$13 million, and victims reported that the perpetrators had long targeted crypto agents and repeatedly committed crimes using the same tactics.

Gray areas in the crypto world: intertwining of agent systems and underground forces

With the rapid growth of the virtual asset market in recent years, Taiwan has seen many exchange agents and a “downline-upline” system, similar to multi-level marketing, leading to highly concentrated capital flow and social networks. However, the market has long lacked regulation and transparency, allowing underground forces to intervene. Some agent systems are backed by complex interpersonal and利益关系, even overlapping with gang forces.

Amid high capital flow, anonymity, and enforcement difficulties, virtual assets have gradually become targets for criminal groups, leading to frequent “black on black” incidents in the crypto scene.

This article “Bamboo Union Hong Ren Society Black on Black! Dissatisfaction with crypto agent switching leads to setup and theft of 330,000 USDT, prosecution seeks 23 years” first appeared on Chain News ABMedia.