Beijing Haidian Court: The main offender in a cryptocurrency “doxxing” case illegally obtained 900 million citizens’ records and was sentenced to 7 years in prison

On May 8, the People’s Court of Haidian District, Beijing, disclosed a “doxxing” case involving virtual currency. Between 2023 and 2025, the defendants Lin and Wang illegally obtained citizens’ personal information data through online channels such as encrypted communication tools, and sold it for profit using virtual currency payment. According to the court’s judgment, the two defendants illegally obtained more than 900 million records of citizens’ personal information. Lin was sentenced to 7 years’ imprisonment, and Wang was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months’ imprisonment.

Main criminal facts of the defendants

According to the judgment documents of the People’s Court of Haidian District, Beijing, the main criminal facts involving Lin and Wang are as follows:

· Between 2023 and 2025, Lin and Wang illegally obtained citizens’ personal information through online channels such as encrypted communication tools, and sold it for profit using virtual currency collection methods. Lin obtained more than 600 million records, while Wang obtained more than 300 million records

· In 2025, Lin and Wang, together with Wang (handled in a separate case), set up a “social work (gossip) database” website. The database contained more than 170 million records of citizens’ personal information. The website had more than 100,000 visits. Through the website, the defendants illegally provided personal information to others more than 1,300 times

· In 2025, Lin, together with Wang (handled in a separate case) and others, set up a group via encrypted communication tools, served as a group administrator, and posted illegal information in the group targeting others with privacy infringement, insults and slander, and so on. The group had more than 2,000 members

Court judgment outcomes

According to the judgment of the People’s Court of Haidian District, Beijing, both Lin and Wang constituted the crime of infringing upon citizens’ personal information, and Lin additionally constituted the crime of illegally using information networks. Pursuant to the law, they were sentenced for multiple crimes with combined penalties:

Lin: For the crime of infringing upon citizens’ personal information, sentenced to 6 years and 6 months’ imprisonment, and fined RMB 60,000; for the crime of illegally using an information network, sentenced to 1 year’s imprisonment, and fined RMB 10,000. The combined penalty decided execution of 7 years’ imprisonment, and a fine of RMB 70,000

Wang: For the crime of infringing upon citizens’ personal information, sentenced to 5 years and 6 months’ imprisonment, and fined RMB 50,000

Supreme People’s Court typical case

According to an announcement recently released by the Supreme People’s Court, this case (Lin and Wang for infringing upon citizens’ personal information and illegally using information networks) was selected as one of five typical cases of crimes of infringing upon citizens’ personal information and related crimes. On May 8, 2026, the People’s Court of Haidian District, Beijing pointed out that some government entities/enterprises and platforms poorly managed information data, leading to sensitive personal information being stolen and sold, thereby forming a black-and-gray industrial chain for crimes of infringing upon citizens’ personal information.

Frequently asked questions

What are the prison terms and fine amounts for the main defendants in this case?

According to the judgment of the People’s Court of Haidian District, Beijing, the main defendant Lin was sentenced, with combined penalties, to 7 years’ imprisonment for the crimes of infringing upon citizens’ personal information and illegally using an information network, and fined RMB 70,000; Wang was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months’ imprisonment for the crime of infringing upon citizens’ personal information, and fined RMB 50,000.

In which criminal links in the case was virtual currency used?

According to the disclosure by the People’s Court of Haidian District, Beijing, when Lin and Wang sold the illegally obtained citizens’ personal information, they used virtual currency as the payment collection method, and carried out the relevant operations through encrypted communication tools.

Why was this case selected by the Supreme People’s Court as a typical case?

According to an announcement released by the Supreme People’s Court, this case was selected as a typical case due to its conduct involving “doxxing” online mobbing and illegally using an information network. The Supreme People’s Court published such cases to play a role in warning, educating, and guiding, and to severely punish crimes of infringing upon citizens’ personal information.