The Blue Cats store: https://shop.thebluecats.com.sg Advertising enquiries: https://advertise.thebluecats.com.sg Singapore authorities recently confirmed that 52 Singaporeans were arrested in Guangxi, China, although they have not publicly said that all 52 were involved in one specific scheme. The activities have been widely linked to the “1040 Sunshine Project”, a pyramid-style scheme associated with Guangxi, including Nanning. Singaporeans were reportedly introduced to the opportunity through friends, former colleagues or networking events, and some were invited to Nanning for several days before being asked to invest. Participants said they were shown developments in Nanning and told about genuine initiatives such as China-ASEAN economic cooperation, the Belt and Road Initiative and Nanning’s role as a regional business hub. These legitimate developments allegedly helped make the investment opportunity appear credible. Participants were later introduced to membership tiers reportedly costing about S$30,000 or S$50,000, with commissions earned by recruiting new members or “downlines”, rather than through the sale of a clear underlying product or service. The scheme is not believed to be new. It has reportedly operated for many years, with one Singaporean saying he encountered it during a trip to Nanning in 2018 and later made a police report. A 2021 Singapore High Court judgment also referred to a “Nanning Scheme” involving Singapore participants, with its methodology characterised as that of a Ponzi or multi-level marketing scheme. Similar groups have reportedly included participants from other places such as Malaysia and Taiwan. One reason the scheme may have appeared convincing was the large number of Singaporeans involved and the presence of prominent individuals. One attendee said she saw about 400 Singaporeans and permanent residents at a networking dinner in Nanning and recognised several high-profile people, while another Singaporean who visited Nanning in 2018 also described seeing well-known figures there. Their presence does not prove that they organised the scheme, invested in it or committed any offence, but it could have provided social proof that made the opportunity appear more legitimate. It remains unclear what will happen to the 52 Singaporeans who were arrested.