Author: Lawyer Liu Zhengyao

Introduction

Recently, a piece of news in the cryptocurrency circle has attracted a lot of attention: "Wu Says" cited a report from Sing Tao Daily, stating that two men in Hong Kong are suspected of sexually assaulting a woman at a hotel in Mong Kok earlier this month. The two men are being tried for rape at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Court in Hong Kong. As a criminal lawyer, sexual assault cases are actually quite common, so why focus on this particular case? Because the author, in addition to being a criminal lawyer, is also a Web3 lawyer. According to publicly available information, the two men involved are a 27-year-old named Wang (who graduated with a master's degree from East China University of Political Science and Law in 2025) and a 24-year-old named Xu, both of whom are practitioners in the cryptocurrency industry.

Thus, it is quite fitting for a Web3 criminal lawyer to discuss a (suspected) sexual assault case in the cryptocurrency industry.

1. The Rashomon Narrative Template

While Bitcoin's K-line chart is still fluctuating, the "human nature chart" has shown extreme volatility. Just as everyone is still debating whether Bitcoin can stabilize above a certain moving average, contrary claims regarding the aforementioned "sexual assault" allegations have also emerged: according to a tweet from a netizen, after accepting a commission from one of the men's family members, the lawyer has gathered information suggesting that the two men may have been set up (a "honey trap").

What we see here is not just an isolated legal event, but a typical "Rashomon" incident. The truth becomes elusive amid the starkly different narratives from both sides, and for most onlookers, it seems that justice is not the priority, but rather how much gossip this incident can generate. Moreover, in this cryptocurrency circle, which is closest to money and human nature, the complexities of male-female relationships, intertwined with interests, traffic, power, and desire, are often magnified many times over.

Setting aside the so-called cryptocurrency circle, even in traditional criminal defense, sexual assault cases are often considered one of the most challenging areas to defend (another challenging area is occupational crimes, such as bribery). Based on my personal experience with cases, evidence in sexual assault crimes is either very substantial (biological evidence, audio and video recordings, chat records, and even witnesses) or very vague (only verbal testimony). Recent "engagement rape cases" seem to be more than one instance, sparking significant controversy in society and even leading to a divide in male-female relationships.

Therefore, this is not just an issue within a specific circle or even a legal issue. Such incidents occur in the cryptocurrency circle, as well as in other circles; the controversies in the civil law system regarding sexual assault cases also exist in the common law system.

Stepping away from the aforementioned individual case, the general controversies surrounding sexual assault cases in the cryptocurrency circle (though currently not numerous) often include:

Narrative A (the female party / accuser): The predation of power and forced silence.

In the accuser's narrative, this is usually a story of "bullying by a superior." Key terms often include: drinking parties, big shots, unequal resources, blurred consciousness, and coercion. This narrative strikes at the public's hatred for the "unwritten rules" in the cryptocurrency circle. In this circle, project parties, capital parties (VCs), and exchanges often hold the power of life and death, while those in weaker positions, such as marketing, business development, or retail KOLs, must enter dangerous social scenarios for certain resources or collaborations. The core logic of the accuser is: I need something from you, but that does not mean I agree to sell my body; at that moment, I could not resist, and afterward, I chose silence for the sake of dignity or out of fear, until now I can no longer endure it.

Narrative B (the male party / accused): A "honey trap" due to failed negotiations.

In the accused's narrative, this suddenly transforms into a story of "monetary transaction" or "emotional blackmail." Key terms change to: initiative, ambiguity, post-event financial demands, negotiations falling through, and false accusations. This narrative leverages the deeply ingrained "transactional mindset" in the cryptocurrency circle. In the eyes of many practitioners, everything can be priced. The male party's defense often includes screenshots of chat records, attempting to prove that the female party was emotionally stable before and after the incident, and even had the suspicion of initiating the invitation. Their core logic is: at that time, it was mutual consent, even extremely enjoyable; how can it be considered sexual assault when money is mentioned or a certain goal (such as listing or investment) is not achieved? This is a typical "pig-butchering scam" or "small essay blackmail."

2. Why the "Cryptocurrency Circle"?

Why do such sexual assault incidents in the cryptocurrency circle trigger a massive public outcry? This is closely related to the unique ecological soil of the cryptocurrency circle.

(1) An Extremely Unregulated "Jungle Society"

Blockchain emphasizes decentralization, but the social structure of the cryptocurrency circle is extremely centralized. The power gap between "big shots" and "retail investors" is enormous. In this gray area lacking strong legal regulation, moral constraints are infinitely diluted. Many times, "sexual resources" are tacitly regarded as a form of social currency, a shortcut to obtaining insider information, quotas, or resources. This distorted business development culture provides a breeding ground for both sexual assault and false accusations.

(2) Traffic Equals Justice, Gossip Equals Mining

In the world of Web3, the attention economy is taken to the extreme. For many KOLs, being infamous is still being famous. Just look at how some KOLs on Twitter output little professional knowledge but are generous in posting various types of selfies.

As a result, a controversy involving "lower body" issues often generates far more views than in-depth research reports. Onlookers listen to the drama in Twitter Spaces and share chat records in groups, and this carnival mentality diminishes the seriousness of the event itself. Some even choose sides based on who writes a better "small essay" or whose chat records are more explosive. The truth no longer matters; what matters is whether the performance is entertaining enough.

(3) Asymmetry of Evidence

In sexual assault cases, the core controversy often lies in how to define whether the female party "consented."

In the context of the cryptocurrency circle, this definition becomes even more ambiguous. For example, if a sexual relationship occurs in exchange for a quota, is it a transaction or coercion? If the other party fails to fulfill their promise afterward and the female party reports it to the police, is that protecting rights or extortion? If the male party uses their industry position to exert pressure, and the female party is half-pushed, does that count as sexual assault? These interactions in the gray area are extremely difficult to gather evidence for legally, yet they can easily be manipulated in public opinion.

While sexual assault cases in other fields also face these issues to some extent, as a Web3 lawyer, I feel that these problems seem to be more pronounced in the cryptocurrency circle.

3. How to View This Incident?

The author does not intend to preach to anyone but only represents their own viewpoint: returning to the social event itself, as an observer, one should maintain a sense of "delayed judgment."

First, we must be wary of "victim-blaming" and also cautious of "small essay trials." Before the police report or court verdict is released, any unilateral statement from either party cannot be considered a "legal fact" (even if one party is telling the truth, even if the legal fact differs from the objective truth from God's perspective). We cannot assume that the female party, being involved in business development or having been active in social situations, is "morally cheap," thus rationalizing the act of sexual assault. The perfect victim does not exist; even if she has ulterior motives, it does not mean she can be violated at will.

Similarly, we cannot directly convict the male party just because he is labeled a "scammer" or a "bad guy." In the cryptocurrency circle, the cost of ruining someone's reputation through public opinion is too low; the harm of false accusations is no less than that of sexual assault itself.

Secondly, we must see through the essence of the "public relations battle." The current public sentiment in the cryptocurrency circle often has high-level guidance behind it. When to tweet, when to release recordings, and when to open Spaces are all calculated. Perhaps we need to think a bit more: is there any coincidence in the timing of the event's exposure? What is the demand? Is it seeking legal justice or private compensation? Is it genuine rights protection or an attempt to divert attention from a project collapse?

Finally, we must return to common sense and the law. Whether in Web1, Web2, Web3, or Web4, sexual assault is a serious crime, and extortion is not a minor crime. If it is indeed sexual assault, remember to report it to the police immediately, seek medical examination, and preserve DNA evidence; the law will not become ineffective just because you are a "cryptocurrency person." If it is indeed a false accusation, please preserve evidence of extortion and retaliate through legal means; this is the optimal solution.

4. In Conclusion: The Desolation After the Clamor

It is possible that this "Rashomon" will ultimately resemble countless previous scandals:

The internet is buzzing for a few days, with thousands online in Spaces listening, and various screenshots flying everywhere. After a few days, a new hot topic will emerge (perhaps a BTC crash, or a new meme coin surge), and everyone will scatter. The pain of the parties involved (whether it is the violated body or the slandered reputation) will go unnoticed, leaving only a mess and an even more chaotic industry image.

For the cryptocurrency circle, this is yet another test of the bottom line. It reminds us that in this circle filled with myths of sudden wealth, if we do not uphold the bottom line of law and morality, anyone can become a hunter and may also become prey at any moment.

免责声明：本文章仅代表作者个人观点，不代表本平台的立场和观点。本文章仅供信息分享，不构成对任何人的任何投资建议。用户与作者之间的任何争议，与本平台无关。如网页中刊载的文章或图片涉及侵权，请提供相关的权利证明和身份证明发送邮件到support@aicoin.com，本平台相关工作人员将会进行核查。