The legend of Yang Bin: the former richest Chinese man arrested for crypto fraud, Kim Jong-il’s adopted son

24-09-05 13:53
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Written by: Jaleel 加六, BlockBeats


On August 26, 2024, at the Singapore High Court, Yang Bin, once the second richest man in China, now sat in the dock. Yang Bin, who always had a dark complexion, did not look very good. Through the court interpreter, he told the judge that he had stomach cancer.


The court fell into silence when the judge read the verdict. Yang Bin was sentenced to six years in prison and a fine of S$16,000 for allegedly disguising cryptocurrency investments and operating a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme.


The cause of all this dates back to 2021, when Yang Bin used the name of the A&A Blockchain Innovation crypto company to attract a large number of investors, claiming to have 300,000 cryptocurrency mining machines and promising a daily return of 0.5%. In fact, these mining machines never existed. Yang Bin used the funds of new investors to pay early participants, a typical Ponzi scheme. In the end, the scam was fully exposed under the investigation of Singapore regulators.


This is not the first time Yang Bin has faced legal sanctions. In 2003, he was sentenced to 18 years in prison by a Chinese court. "Nelson Mandela of South Africa was in prison for 27 years and became president. I, Yang Bin, was in prison for 18 years and came out at the age of 58. I can still be president." The 68-page thick verdict could not suppress his arrogance.


This former richest man in China and leader of the North Korean Special Administrative Region has a business empire legend full of ambition and glory, and also has a wonderful legendary experience: from an orphan to a billionaire, from a business tycoon to a prisoner. The following content is the whole truth of this once glorious "dark horse tycoon".


Yang Bin lights a cigarette for Kim Yong-nam, the second-in-command of North Korea


From an orphan to the richest man, Yang Bin's wealth legend


Yang Bin's business legend began in poverty, but it was extremely dramatic. As an orphan from an ordinary family, he worked hard to enter the Naval Academy and stayed at the school to teach with his outstanding academic performance. However, Yang Bin was not satisfied with this. At the age of 25, he went to the Netherlands to study and began his extraordinary international business adventure.


In the Netherlands, Yang Bin used the $10,000 he saved from working to engage in cross-border trade and keenly discovered the market opportunities between China and Eastern Europe. He quickly emerged in the import and export market of textiles and ready-made clothes, and accumulated a fortune of $20 million in just two years, completing the first pot of gold in his life.


Soon after, Yang Bin turned his attention to China. Against the backdrop of reform and opening up, he founded the greenhouse agriculture project "Holland Village" and quickly became a leader in the agricultural industry. With his foreign status, he received a lot of tax exemptions and government support, which enabled his business to grow rapidly.



Holland Village Building


However, what really made Yang Bin famous was his successful listing of Eurasia Agriculture in the Hong Kong capital market in 2001. This move not only brought in huge amounts of money, but also made Yang Bin leap to the top of the Chinese rich list, becoming a hot "dark horse tycoon".


"Businessmen who excel will become officials", Yang Bin also set his sights on politics. On September 24, 2002, Yang Bin won the position of Chief Executive of the Sinuiju Special Administrative Region of North Korea, which is somewhat similar to the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, China. At the press conference, Yang Bin even directly declared to the media: "I am the adopted son of Mr. Kim Jong Il."


Yang Bin's superb "empty-handed tricks"


However, just one day before he was about to go to North Korea to take office, the police surrounded Yang Bin's villa, and the security guards and two night dogs were taken away from Holland Village with Yang Bin, and the case was filed for investigation. In July of the following year, Yang Bin was sentenced to 18 years in prison for multiple crimes and served his sentence.


It was not until this time that the public realized that Yang Bin was a superb liar who was extremely good at empty-handed tricks and a complete liar.


The most clever scams are often not entirely fictitious, but cleverly interweave facts and fictions, making it difficult to distinguish. Why did Yang Bin become the richest man by cheating? To a large extent, it is because there are indeed real parts in his experience.


In Yang Bin's own description, he was born in Nanjing in 1963, became an orphan at the age of 5; entered the Second Artillery Academy of the Navy at the age of 18 and stayed to teach at the school; studied in the Netherlands at the age of 24 and became a Dutch citizen; at the age of 27, he founded his own company in the Netherlands, engaged in clothing and textile trade. This modern version of the story of "Oliver Twist" is also Yang Bin's deliberate shaping of his public image. However, the real situation is not like this.


After an in-depth investigation by the Shenyang Public Security Bureau, Yang Bin's resume was gradually revealed. He was not directly admitted to the military academy as he claimed, but was sent to the military academy after joining the army in his hometown of Nanjing, and he studied at a junior college instead of an undergraduate degree. After graduation, he continued to serve as a soldier in the maintenance room instead of staying in school to teach.


Reporter Wang Yude obtained different versions of resumes from Yang Bin himself and the police


Afterwards, Yang Bin changed his job and became a factory employee. He met a Dutch girl and left China in the name of "visiting friends". He then left the group and stayed in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, although he enrolled in the economics major at Leiden University, he did not complete his studies.


Xu Hongjiong, an international student who was engaged in computer programming in the Netherlands, once visited Yang Bin's home. As far as he knew, Yang Bin had never been to university, did not speak Dutch very well, and did not know much about financial knowledge. The process of Yang Bin obtaining Dutch nationality was not glorious. According to several insiders, Yang Bin obtained Dutch nationality through disguise and deception.


From this, we can continue to analyze the authenticity of the origin of Yang Bin's "first pot of gold". He claimed that after the collapse of Eastern Europe, he keenly seized the market opportunities and quickly accumulated $20 million in assets through trade between China and Poland. However, the real situation is far from this. According to some sources in the Netherlands, Yang Bin did not make any money through the so-called "international trade" in the early 1990s. Instead, he relied on government relief applied for by his wife Pan Chaorong and children in the Netherlands to make a living.


"It's impossible, it must be a mistake." When the news of Yang Bin making $20 million in the Netherlands spread back to the Netherlands, Yang Bin's former friends and people who knew him were surprised. "The Chinese community in the Netherlands is very small. Whoever opens a company and who makes a lot of money will soon be known."


A Chinese restaurant owner who has known Yang Bin for more than ten years in the Netherlands revealed that between 1991 and 1992, he and Yang Bin had cooperated in some small businesses, which were very limited in scale and far from the tens of millions of dollars in assets claimed by Yang Bin. Even in 1992, when Yang Bin registered two small companies, their scale was only equivalent to that of a small private enterprise in China. "It is certain that Yang Bin definitely did not have 20 million US dollars in 1992," said the Chinese.


A talented businessman and speaker with a keen sense of smell


Although Yang Bin is famous for cheating, cheating alone is not enough to enable him to accumulate wealth quickly and gain widespread influence. In fact, he has great business acumen, capital operation methods and keeps pace with the times. He knows how to use financial tools, capital markets, and government policy dividends.


Some media reported that Yang Bin did not understand English at all. This statement is inaccurate. A reporter saw Yang Bin talking to a foreign friend in English at the door of Yang Bin's office, but his accent was not so pure. According to people who know Yang Bin, he is not very interested in military affairs as he graduated from a military school. On the contrary, Yang Bin is really interested in English and Dutch agriculture.


"The Netherlands not only accounts for 73% of the world's flower exports, but is also a famous "European vegetable basket", with vegetables accounting for 67% of the entire Europe. There are three major agricultural models in the world: one is the American model of highly mechanized agricultural production; one is the Israeli model of drip irrigation; and one is the classic agricultural model of the Netherlands." It is said that this opening remark is Yang Bin's usual set.


Yang Bin inspects Holland Village


With his hobbies and highly contagious speeches, Yang Bin made everyone believe that the future Holland Village will not only be an agricultural treasure, but also a tourist destination, with Disney, Universal Studios, indoor rainforests and seaside playgrounds, and the world's largest indoor beach.


"Japan's annual demand for vegetables is 1 trillion yuan, and other non-staple foods are 1.5 trillion yuan. As long as we occupy one-third of the market, the annual profit will exceed 750 billion yuan." Yang Bin is obviously a person who knows how to persuade others with concepts and prospects. Shenyang took the initiative to invite Yang Bin to establish a base and branch, and also promised preferential land and tax exemptions.


So on December 18, 1997, Eurasia Group established its headquarters in Shenyang and gradually sold seven or eight branches across the country. After having land, Yang Bin began to show his clever operation of the capital market.


Loans are one of his main sources of funds. Yang Bin borrowed a huge sum of 400 million yuan from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and a loan of 30 million yuan from the Agricultural Bank of China. At the same time, Yang Bin also raised funds through the stock market, with the main strategy of asset restructuring and high-proportion distribution. After a series of capital operations, Yang Bin received huge returns.


In addition, Yang Bin also found Yan Chuang, an accounting major, and appointed him as director, vice president, and vice chairman of the board of directors. Yan Chuang not only became Yang Bin's right-hand man, but also became the first planner and operator of Eurasia Agriculture's listing in Hong Kong.


On July 19, 2001, Yang Bin finally pushed "Eurasia Agriculture" to the Hong Kong capital market and successfully raised 700 million Hong Kong dollars, making it the big winner of the listing in Hong Kong that year. And Yang Bin's 72.3% stake in Eurasia Agriculture is worth nearly 1.8 billion Hong Kong dollars.


But for this, Yang Bin also aged a lot, and he spent almost all his time on work. The pace of life also accelerated. Those who were looking for donations, reporters, and foreign investors kept coming to see him or calling him every day. He kept smoking, one cigarette after another, and always complained that he felt very tired. People who have met him say that Yang Bin looks much older than 38.


Jinzhou Prison


What is shocking is that even in prison, Yang Bin could not rest and still exerted his business talent.


"Those with connections would ask someone to write a note, and then fax it to the prison for Yang Bin to approve. Only with Yang Bin's signature could you buy a house." According to the buyer at the time, even though Yang Bin was in prison, he was still selling houses remotely. Moreover, there were many people who came to buy houses, and it was impossible to buy a house without connections and channels.


The prison is only 20 kilometers away from Holland Village. It is said that Yang Bin would return to Holland Village almost every week in the name of "medical parole" to manage company affairs. Usually on Thursdays or Saturdays, Yang Bin would drive his extended Mercedes-Benz from prison back to Holland Village to visit. In addition, Yang Bin also helped to set up the "Prison-Round Industrial Park" and cooperated with the prison on many projects, including plastic steel door and window factories, color steel factories, agricultural greenhouse projects, etc.


Yang Bin also lived the treatment of a "senior prisoner". An insider said that Yang Bin was managed by a deputy director. He used to smoke 4 packs of cigarettes a day, but now he smokes one pack a day and 30 packs a month. There were doctors in the prison to take care of his health. His family would send him his favorite braised pork three times a week. The staff of the Dutch Embassy in China would visit him every month and send him some things he needed.


The scam was upgraded and he turned to blockchain after being released from prison


In the operation of traditional enterprises, Yang Bin quickly raised money and expanded his business territory through loans and listing. In the field of cryptocurrency in the new era, he has demonstrated a business mind that keeps pace with the times.


After ending his 14-year prison life, Yang Bin did not disappear. With the funding of several real estate friends, he built another flower town in Yunnan. He set his WeChat avatar as the iconic windmill in Holland Village. On the construction site in the southwest, he often looked back to the northeast and recalled his experiment in the Sinuiju Special Economic Zone.


The times have abandoned him, but he has not abandoned his business acumen that keeps pace with the times, and quickly seized the trend of blockchain and cryptocurrency.


In 2021, Yang Bin successively operated two blockchain projects, "Marscoin" and "A&A Blockchain Innovation (Mercury Chain)". With the help of the blockchain craze, a new round of money-making operations has begun. These projects seem to rely on financial innovation, but in fact they are illegally raising funds and pyramid schemes under the banner of "blockchain".


The operating model of Mars Coin took advantage of the popularity of Musk, the world's richest man. Yang Bin named this cryptocurrency "Mars Coin" to attract investors interested in Musk and the blockchain field. To expand his influence, Yang Bin held a series of high-profile meet-ups, including events in Shenzhen, Shanghai, Beijing and other places. In order to build momentum, Yang Bin invited actor Xiang Zuo to the platform and claimed that 250,000 people participated online, more than 600 nodes interacted offline, and the number of live viewers reached 1.73 million.


The operating model of Mars Coin is ostensibly to mine cryptocurrency through mining machines, but in fact it is a disguised pyramid scheme. Users obtain a virtual "fire key" by registering, and then activate more mining machines by promoting friends to mine. Mining machines are divided into three levels: 300U, 1000U, and 3000U. Each level corresponds to a different storage multiple and daily interest income, and the annual income is touted as up to 3 times.


Marscoin Model


The operation of Mars Energy sets up a multi-level distribution system, where the first-generation recommender can get a 5% commission, the second generation 3%, and the third generation 2%, and attracts investors through a combination of dynamic and static returns. The withdrawal function has never been opened, which means that investors cannot really get returns and can only maintain the operation of the capital chain by constantly attracting new people.


Marscoin has too many flaws. First of all, there was the grand meeting. Technical problems occurred frequently during the event. The stars mentioned in the hype stage did not come, and even the so-called blessing video could not be played, which seemed extremely sloppy. Not only was the event organized in a mess, but even the food provided was complained by participants, "Red wine is more than ten yuan a bottle and limited per table."



In addition, Yang Bin’s reputation in China was not very good. After making a fortune from Marscoin, Yang Bin ran away. After arriving in Singapore with a social visit pass, he shifted the audience from China to Singapore and established the "A&A Blockchain Innovation" company.


It was still the old way. The first step in starting a company was to create momentum. However, Yang Bin’s cleverness lies in that he can make different strategic adjustments for different groups. When he was doing Marscoin in China, he organized a grand meeting, and when creating momentum in Singapore, he chose to find the charitable organizations and shelters at the time, invited a pastor from Singapore, and donated 100,000 Singapore dollars in the name of "A&A Blockchain Innovation".


Yang Bin donated 100,000 Singapore dollars to the Singapore Community Service Center (NHCS)


It is said that Yang Bin found a former Country Garden Forest City sales office in Singapore as a showroom, used a 4U-8 card 1060s graphics card mining machine for display, and invited uncles and aunts in Singapore to take classes to invest in hardware mining ETH. At that time, the exchange rate of Ethereum was about US$1,600.


Between May 20, 2021 and February 15, 2022, A&A offered a chain mining plan to local investors, promising a fixed daily return of 0.5% on their investment, which would come from mining cryptocurrencies. In marketing materials to investors, A&A claimed to have reached an agreement with Yunnan Shunai Yunxun Investment Holding Co., Ltd. to acquire 70% ownership of 300,000 mining machines in Yunnan, China.


Speech by Yang Bin


The mining machines could allegedly mine cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum and could generate returns in this way. In fact, there was no such agreement, and A&A instead operated a currency circulation scheme that used funds from later investors to pay returns to early investors.


Under Yang Bin's instructions, the company's CTO Wang Xinghong developed an application that investors could ostensibly use to buy tokens to invest in the mining scheme and monitor its daily returns. But in fact, the application was a centralized "black box" software that system administrators could enter random numbers to display false returns.


Left: Yang Bin; Right: CTO Wang Bin


According to the information, while operating the mining plan, Yang Bin also launched a cryptocurrency trading platform called "AAEX", claiming to provide a variety of cryptocurrency trading services.


As time went on, A&A's scam was gradually exposed. In August 2023, Yang Bin and three other A&A executives were charged with conspiracy to defraud in Singapore, involving more than $1.8 million. Although the 60-year-old Yang Bin was unwilling to admit his old age, his business sense was still very sensitive, and his deception kept pace with the times, he was eventually sentenced to six years in prison in Singapore, including eight charges including conspiracy, participation in a fraud scheme, and operating without a valid work permit.


"I am Mr. Kim Jong Il's adopted son": Yang Bin's network of relationships


Only poor people are obsessed with technology. The lower the level, the worse the ability to handle interpersonal relationships. The higher you go, the more you will find that you think people are studying things every day, but they are often studying people. Yang Bin's "trump card" is the people and network behind him, which has become the key to the rapid rise of his business empire.


Looking back, Yang Bin's Holland Village is a project that has received "special care" from the beginning. It has become a key project in Liaoning Province and has obtained large-scale land allocation, low-interest loans and other government preferential policies. There are even whistleblowers who claim to have seen 5 teams of prisoners digging waterways under strict organization in the underground of Holland Village.


During the trial and judicial investigation of Yang Bin’s case, dozens of people, from the Liaoning Provincial Department of Land and Resources to the Shenyang Yuhong Land Branch, were summoned by the public security organs to explain their relationship with the Holland Village real estate case. Yang Bin’s conviction clearly stated that Yang Bin obtained a piece of arable land through improper means and made a profit of more than 3 million yuan; when applying for a loan, he used his connections to modify government documents. All of these involved bribery.


These networks helped Yang Bin create his own business empire and become the richest man. However, the success and failure of the two are also due to the two people. Just when Yang Bin was still complacently planning to take the Holland Village tourism project to the Nasdaq in the United States to list, the political background in Shenyang quietly changed. The most famous "Mu Ma corruption" case in Shenyang was filed for investigation. A total of more than 100 people were involved in the case, including 1 deputy provincial level official, 4 deputy municipal level officials, and 17 party and government "top leaders". Shenyang's sky changed completely. At the same time, the Shenyang Municipal Government began to conduct a large-scale investigation of land tax issues. Eurasia Holland Village was required to re-sign the contract and pay the tax. Yang Bin did not pay the money.


According to a former colleague of Yang Bin, Yang Bin had asked to meet with the new provincial and municipal leaders several times, but was rejected. "Although we met later, the other party was enthusiastic, but it was no longer like the previous ones, who supported him almost without reservation." In addition, the media generally questioned Yang Bin and Holland Village at the time, which made Yang Bin's image in the capital market worse and worse.


But who is Yang Bin? "Yang Bin always does one surprising thing after another." People around Yang Bin said. The carefully planned "fraud" began to be discovered. Yang Bin, who lost his protection in the change of domestic political situation, disappeared mysteriously for two months. Some people said he fled, some said he was sick, and some said he was inspecting in North Korea or Japan.


However, Yang Bin, who returned to the public eye two months later, miraculously found a new backer and a new "protection umbrella" across the Yalu River - the North Korean government, and transformed himself into "Kim Jong Il's adopted son" and the leader of the North Korean Special Administrative Region.



Yang Bin’s connection with North Korea probably began in 2001. That year, Kim Jong Il visited China. While visiting the Shanghai Sunqiao Modern Agricultural Development Zone, he showed great interest in the flowers and vegetables in the glass greenhouse, and Yang Bin, as the receptionist, was not shy and talked freely.


Kim Jong Il summoned Yang Bin after returning to China, and Yang Bin quickly hugged this thigh. While the Dutch Village was short of funds, Yang Bin began to show his generosity to the North Korean government. It was rumored on the Internet that Yang Bin donated more than 100 million yuan to North Korea, but Yang Bin himself said that "more than 20 million US dollars in free aid."


Starting in 2002, Yang Bin built a glass greenhouse for North Korea in front of Kim Il Sung’s tomb in the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, one of the best lands in North Korea. "Let my father's spirit in heaven see the progress we have made in agriculture," said Kim Jong Il.



In North Korea, Yang Bin, who frequently travels in and out, is like an ambassador. As he becomes closer and closer to North Korea, Yang Bin began his "political career." On September 24, 2002, Kim Yong-nam, the second-in-command of North Korea, awarded Yang Bin a letter of appointment, appointing him as the chief executive of the Sinuiju Special Administrative Region of North Korea, which is said to be equivalent to the vice premier of North Korea. "From the day I took office as the chief executive of Sinuiju, North Korea, I am no longer a businessman, but a politician," said Yang Bin.


Sinuiju is one of the largest cities in North Korea. It is a "special administrative region" with an independent judicial and economic system, a bit like Hong Kong in China, and is separated from Dandong in China by only a friendship bridge. In some interviews afterwards, when Yang Bin recalled this experience, he always called himself "king." "Hong Kong's SAR will remain unchanged for 100 years, while North Korea's SAR will never change. If this is not the king's, then what is it?" Kim Yong-nam awarded Yang Bin a letter of appointment After returning to Holland Village, Yang Bin held a press conference and began his speech again: "I have been an orphan since I was a child. The great General Kim Jong-il entrusted me with an important task with his kindness like the sea. Under the general's great care, I will repay him with my life." Yang Bin even directly declared to the media: "I am Mr. Kim Jong-il's adopted son." It is said that Yang Bin and Kim Jong-il have a very close relationship. After Yang Bin was arrested, the North Korean government sent representatives to Beijing for consultations. It can be seen that Yang Bin is indeed very good at maintaining a network of relationships. When he was in the Netherlands, even though his experiences were somewhat fabricated, his friends all said that Yang Bin was good at making friends, was enthusiastic and generous, knew a lot of people, and was a pretty good friend. In this respect, everyone had a very good opinion of him.


Arrogant and self-abased, the tragic "dark horse richest man"


However, those who are closer to him know that after becoming rich, Yang Bin's personality is actually quite eccentric. He is just like a nouveau riche. He will lose his temper at any time and often vent hysterically, even when he has frequent quarrels with other prisoners in prison.


Yang Bin's arrogance and self-confidence reached its peak in 2001 - this year, his company Eurasia Agriculture was successfully listed in Hong Kong. "In the months after the listing, Yang Bin was in high spirits. If he didn't approve millions of dollars every day at work, he wouldn't be considered to be at work." The employees of Holland Village recalled that Yang Bin's travel pomp was even more eye-catching. Every time he went out, he was led by several luxury Mercedes-Benz cars.


Yang Bin had a very high evaluation of his wealth and status, and was even a little conceited. In 2001, he ranked second on the Forbes list of Chinese entrepreneurs with a net worth of $900 million. Yang Bin disagreed, believing that Forbes underestimated his actual net worth. In the Hurun rankings, he was described as "China's richest man", and many media also fueled the flames, saying that he was the real richest man, and Yang Bin was very satisfied with this.


His arrogance is not only reflected in the flaunting of wealth, but also in his daily decision-making. When he inspected a building in Holland Village, he thought it was not grand enough and ordered it to be demolished and rebuilt on the spot. His subordinates reminded him that the building cost more than 20 million yuan, but Yang Bin responded disdainfully: "More than 20 million is also demolished!"


However, just as Yang Bin was immersed in the aura of success, his arrogance and pride also planted a fatal hidden danger for him. In 2002, Yang Bin's business empire began to collapse. But Yang Bin's pride and arrogance were fully displayed even during the legal trial.


Facing the legal trial, Yang Bin was very dissatisfied, "I am the chief executive of North Korea, you treat me like this?" "You called me out of bed and brought me here without explaining clearly!" Facing the verdict of the six charges, Yang Bin was emotional in court, accusing this of "political frame-up" and said in court that he would appeal: "Appeal! Of course I will appeal", "Where is justice in the world?" After being taken away, Yang Bin turned around and said to the reporter despite the bailiff's dissuasion: "You are Hong Kong reporters, Holland Village will not fall, God should have justice." The scene was chaotic for a while.


What shocked the reporters at the time the most was that when he met with the aunts later, Yang Bin spent a lot of money: "You aunts, each of you will get 1 million yuan for retirement." He also said on the spot: "Nelson Mandela of South Africa was in prison for 27 years and became president when he came out. I was in prison for 18 years and came out at the age of 58. I can still be president."


Yang Bin's arrogance is actually a cover-up for his inferiority complex. People who know Yang Bin know that he has an extreme inferiority complex. As an orphan from a poor family, Yang Bin's childhood experience was full of hardships. Therefore, after he became successful, he was extremely arrogant and his extreme personality and personality fission were very obvious.


At the press conference and the trial, Yang Bin's brightest and lowest moments, and his own legendary life story, are all important parts of the story of this "dark horse" tycoon. Although he likes to build momentum for himself and exaggerate, from some detailed descriptions, Yang Bin's tragic experience is basically true.


At the age of 5, Yang Bin's father died, and his young mother remarried, leaving Yang Bin an orphan. His grandmother, who sold tea, saved money penny by penny to raise him. Since elementary school, Yang Bin has relied on tuition reduction to study. At that time, what Yang Bin thought about most was to make more money when he grew up and buy delicious food for his grandmother.


When he was 8 years old, Yang Bin found his biological mother and followed her for an hour. Unexpectedly, she found him and turned around to slap him. She threw 5 yuan on the ground. Yang Bin picked it up and took it home. When he got home, his grandmother slapped him again and said, "You are not ambitious. Why don't you make money when you grow up?"


There are many lakes in Nanjing. Rowing is a popular activity for many children. Yang Bin also rowed once, but he rowed in a wooden barrel. Another time, other people were eating oranges. Yang Bin curiously looked through the crack of the door. As a result, his grandmother slapped him and said, "Why do you envy others? You should make money when you grow up!" There are many stories like this.


When he was a child, the sentence Yang Bin was most afraid to hear was: he was a child without parents. Every time he heard such words, Yang Bin would be very sad. Extreme poverty made Yang Bin vow to be a superior person.


These experiences basically laid the foundation for Yang Bin's life. His arrogance and inferiority, boldness and cunning after becoming famous all stem from his poverty and struggle, ideals and loneliness in his childhood.


"Did you see the celebration party in Wulihe last night? We sponsored it", "Yang Yuying came to my office just now, did you see it?" Compared with wealth, the prestige and power that Yang Bin once obtained can better cover up the deep anxiety in his heart and satisfy his inner inferiority.


Someone once asked him why he spent all his money to build a 6,000-acre agricultural estate? His answer was: "In Leiden, where I live in the Netherlands, the annual income of a farmer's family is $250,000. In China, calling someone a farmer means two things: one is rustic and the other is poor; in the Netherlands, farmers are either bourgeoisie or very rich. Why are Chinese farmers so poor? It would be great if Chinese farmers were as rich as those in the Netherlands!"


Obviously, his poor peasant background was a hurdle he couldn't get over. It shaped his persistent pursuit of wealth and success, and also made him fall into the dual contradiction of arrogance and inferiority after he became famous. On the base of the sculpture at the Holland Village Railway Station, Yang Bin engraved the famous saying: "Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west side of the river."


On the top of Yang Bin's desk, he keeps newspapers and promotional materials about his "achievements". When reporters visit, he will personally take them out and share them. "For us entrepreneurs, making money is actually not the most important thing. The happiest thing is to see what we have created built up bit by bit." In this material, Yang Bin deliberately portrayed himself as a legendary figure who went from nothing to something, from poverty to success. What is reflected behind this is precisely his deep inferiority complex and strong desire for recognition from the outside world.


When most people see Yang Bin for the first time, their first reaction is "so dark". Yang Bin's dark skin and face seem to have been soaked in a layer of coal dust. But Yang Bin likes to wear white clothes, white shirts, white T-shirts, white pants and even white shoes. This seems to have become a symbol of his contradictions. The rich man who was once worshipped as a god by the capital market ended up being imprisoned twice.


His legendary story that was deified is ultimately just a tragic song of a gray character. In Yang Bin's life, wealth, status and honor are like passing clouds. As he himself said: "Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west." After the scenery in the east, he finally ushered in the desolation and loneliness in the west.


References:

1. "Yang Bin Investigation: The Rise and Fall of China's Dark Horse Richest Man", Wang Yude;

2. "Yang Bin", "Business Weekly" magazine;

3. "The Top Ten MLMs: Marscoin", Ethereum Classic;

4. "Four Men Charged with Conspiracy to Cheat and Conduct Business of Providing Digital Payment Token Services without a License", Singapore Public Affairs Department;

5. "2002 People's Inventory: Yang Bin - Sudden Rich Man, Sudden Prisoner", Nanfang Net;

6. "The Secret of Holland Village's 6-Year Immortality", Economic Observer;


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