TRON founder Justin Sun has won a significant legal victory in China. The Chongqing Yubei District Court ruled that the Chongqing Business Media Group defamed Sun by publishing unverified and false information.
The court has ordered the Media Group to remove all false content and issue a formal apology to Sun. This case marks a major win for Sun, who has faced ongoing media misrepresentations.
Justin Sun Wins Defamation Case Against Chongqing Business Media Group
The Chongqing Yubei District Court has ruled in favor of TRON founder Justin Sun, determining that the Chongqing Business Media Group published false and defamatory content about him. The court found that the Media Group had disseminated unverified information that significantly damaged Sun’s reputation. As a result, the Media Group has been ordered to remove all false content and issue a public apology to Sun.
This apology, published on the People’s Court’s website, comes after a two-year legal battle involving extensive fact-finding and a thorough trial. The court’s decision, which was not appealed, is now final. Sun, reflecting on the case, expressed relief and satisfaction, noting that justice has been served despite the lengthy process.
The court’s verdict not only vindicates Sun but also serves as a warning to media outlets about the legal consequences of spreading unverified and damaging information. The ruling underscores the importance of fact-checking and the potential legal risks associated with publishing unfounded claims.
Background of Defamation Case Against Justin Sun
The defamation case against Justin Sun originated from an article published on March 11, 2022, by the Chongqing Business Media Group on its news platform, eastmoney.com. The article made serious allegations against Sun, including claims of insider trading, fleeing abroad to avoid an ICO ban, engaging in fraud and money laundering, and being under investigation by the IRS and FBI. These accusations were baseless and quickly gained traction, spreading across various media outlets and causing significant damage to both Sun and the TRON ecosystem.
The article was influenced by an opinion piece published by The Verge in March 2022, which featured sensationalized stories about Sun based on anonymous sources. Although the piece was designed to capture attention, it included a disclaimer stating that the claims could not be verified due to a lack of comments from relevant authorities. Despite this, the article was presented as factual by other media outlets, which amplified the unverified claims to maximize clicks and exposure.
Media outlets continued to propagate these sensationalized reports, focusing on buzzwords like “money laundering,” “insider trading,” and “investigations.” In their pursuit of virality, many of these outlets ignored or overlooked the disclaimers about the lack of evidence, further exacerbating the damage to Sun’s reputation.
Court Ruling and Findings in Defamation Case Against Justin Sun
During the trial, the People’s Court of China meticulously examined all aspects of the case, including The Verge’s original article, the Media’s subsequent reports, and how other domestic media reproduced and interpreted the content. The court found that The Verge’s article was unsupported by concrete evidence and that the Media’s report lacked factual accuracy, severely damaging Sun’s reputation.
The court highlighted that the authenticity of the original article was only confirmed by its author, who acknowledged that the claims made in the article were not validated by any relevant authorities. In its final ruling, the People’s Court of China determined that all allegations against Sun, including insider trading, fraud, money laundering, and other claimed investigations, were entirely unfounded.
The extensive two-year legal battle exposed the false claims made by the Media and demonstrated the use of facts and legal measures to combat misinformation. The judgment has not only vindicated Sun but also set a legal precedent for addressing and dispelling baseless rumors in the blockchain community.
Landmark Ruling Upholds Rights and Warns Against Media Misinformation
The final ruling in Justin Sun’s defamation case not only delivers justice for Sun but also affirms the rights of individuals who are unjustly targeted by fabricated news coverage. This landmark decision enhances public awareness about the legal recourse available to victims of false reports and encourages them to protect their interests through legal means.
This case also serves as a cautionary tale for media outlets and content creators, highlighting the dangers of disseminating deceptive and unreliable information. Such practices contradict the principles of professionalism, objectivity, and neutrality that modern journalism strives to uphold.
The 1988 “Reply of the Supreme People’s Court to the Defendant Status of Newspaper Publishers and the Application of Jurisdiction in Cases of Infringement of the Right to Reputation” established that news agencies have a verification obligation and can be held legally accountable for the content they publish. Both the author and the news agency may face legal consequences for infringing on an individual’s reputation through unverified information.
Sun’s victory represents a significant moment in addressing the spread of online misinformation. It underscores the importance of adhering to professional ethics in journalism, emphasizing that news should be accurate and fact-checked. This ruling not only protects Sun’s rights but also serves as a strong deterrent against the propagation of falsehoods.
Overview of TRON DAO: Milestones and Achievements
TRON DAO is a community-governed decentralized autonomous organization dedicated to advancing the decentralization of the internet through blockchain technology and decentralized applications (dApps). Established in September 2017 by H.E. Justin Sun, the TRON network has achieved significant milestones since its MainNet launch in May 2018.
In July 2018, the TRON ecosystem integrated BitTorrent, a leading service in decentralized Web3 technology with over 100 million monthly active users. Over the years, the TRON network has experienced remarkable growth. As of June 2024, it boasts more than 239.72 million total user accounts, over 7.91 billion transactions, and a total value locked (TVL) exceeding $20.60 billion, according to TRONSCAN.
TRON is also notable for hosting the largest circulating supply of USD Tether (USDT) stablecoin globally, surpassing USDT on Ethereum since April 2021. The network completed its full decentralization in December 2021 and now operates as a community-governed DAO. In October 2022, TRON was recognized as the national blockchain for the Commonwealth of Dominica, marking a historic collaboration between a major public blockchain and a sovereign nation to develop its national blockchain infrastructure.
Important: Please note that this article is only meant to provide information and should not be taken as legal, tax, investment, financial, or any other type of advice.
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