On some occasions, the logos of "Gaiwang" and "Yijiange" will appear at the same time. The picture shows the front desk of an operations center in Zoucheng, Shandong. (Southern Weekend reporter Li Zailei/Photo)

(This article was first published in "Southern Weekend" on May 9, 2019)

A 2017 judgment on the Judgment Document Network shows that "Gatenet "Funds and original stocks are not subject to state supervision and registration, and are deceptive. They obtain high returns by developing offline.

The core members of Zhongtian Shengxiang basically overlap with those of Gaiwang and Yijiange. Their promotional routines are similar, and their business models are also similar.

After three reincarnations, buzzwords such as O2O, Internet+, shared economy, and blockchain technology have been swept away by him.

The sound was booming, the crowd was crowded, and the shouts of "dream" flew past the raised arms.

On April 19, 2019, in the conference room on the eighth floor of the Xilemen Hotel in Zoucheng City, Jining, Shandong Province, the "Zhongtian Shengxiang" project promotion meeting was in full swing.

"There are already a lot of pie-in-the-sky things. Let's see if anyone comes out to catch them." Sister Gao kept chattering, repeating what she heard at the meeting. "Others ask how such a good thing can happen." , It’s such a good thing.” On the way back in the car, she looked confused and couldn’t calm down for a long time.

Sister Gao introduced to Southern Weekend reporters that by investing only 50,000 yuan and buying a QR code called "Zhongtian Code", you can become a partner of the group and enjoy lifetime performance sharing. In addition, Receive 20,000 blockchain “Zhongtian points” as a gift. The value-added potential is unlimited, and you can easily earn hundreds of times or even tens of thousands of times in income. "Bitcoin has increased hundreds of thousands of times. Think about how powerful it is."

Zhongtian Shengxiang’s full name is Zhongtian Shengxiang Technology Co., Ltd., which was registered in Beijing in August 2018. Its legal representative is Kou Nannan. At the beginning of 2019, QR codes and blockchain products under the name Zhongtian Shengxiang spread rapidly in Shandong, Henan, Guangdong and other places. The company, which was established less than a year ago, promises to achieve huge increases in wealth in the short term by relying on the Internet revolution.

Three years ago, Kou Nannan was a shareholder of a company owned by Gaiwang. Gaiwang is suspected of being a pyramid scheme. It uses a "weekly rebate" model to sell original shares, invests in a fund of 100,000 yuan, and claims that it can reap a return of 200,000 yuan within two years (for details, see Southern Weekend's May 19, 2016 report "I am in the Internet" , but also to be listed").

Shortly after the report was published, many of Gaiwang’s operating agencies across the country were investigated and punished for suspected pyramid schemes. Since then, media outlets have successively revealed that the original members of Gaiwang have continued their activities under the name "Brother Yi Jian".

Southern Weekend reporters tracked and found that the core members of Zhongtian Shengxiang basically overlap with Gaiwang and Yijiange, with similar promotional routines and similar business models.

In the reports of that year, the products they had vigorously promoted have now disappeared, but under the cover of frequently changing vests, a variety of new concepts are continuously packaged. After three reincarnations, buzzwords such as O2O, Internet+, shared economy, and blockchain technology have been swept away by him.

The promotion meeting on April 19, 2019, has a mature and complete template. The backbone of Zhongtian Shengxiang's business in Zoucheng took turns to appear. In order, they introduced the company's strong strength and the revolutionary innovation of Zhongtian Code. Later, the pioneers who "made a fortune" also appeared and gave their own experience.

The dazzling industrial layout was made into a PPT and displayed on the big screen. The complex franchise model requires professionals to explain it on the blackboard with a pen.

"Because of investing in Jack Ma, Alibaba's front desk staff have become billionaires." The process progressed to the stage of explaining the business model, the music stopped abruptly, and the keynote speaker, Mr. Li, solemnly reminded every word , "If you missed Jack Ma, you must not miss today's opportunity."

She explained that she would invest 50,000 yuan, be assigned a Zhongtian code, and negotiate with offline merchants herself, or the company's local promotion team would help with the implementation. , lay out QR codes in physical stores, and deduct points from the revenue generated from code-scanning transactions. This deduction can be regarded as profit, of which 30% belongs to investors.

This applies to their so-called "sharing economy" concept. This software claims to provide online payment functions. Merchants who have posted Zhongtian codes are also registered in the "Zhongtian Community" on Zhongtian's "Fenrun Software". Consumers who place orders through the Zhongtian Community can enjoy a 50% discount. . If a new user is recommended to download this application, 30% of the profit from consumption elsewhere will belong to the promoting store. At this point, investors and shops have extracted money in different ways, which is called "shared profits".

During the deduction process, the project's hematopoietic function seemed to be inexhaustible. Ms. Li made a chart of profit-making methods and calculated the accounts in detail. She gave an example. Under normal circumstances, it is agreed that 5% to 20% of the physical store's turnover will be used as deduction points. Calculated based on the average sales volume of 10,000 yuan per day, the profit for 360 days a year It is 180,000 yuan, and investors can withdraw 30% of it every year, which is an income of more than 50,000 yuan. Mr. Li is in his forties and is the manager of the Zoucheng team. He wears a full suit and has a meticulous hairstyle.

This is only one year’s income. Zhongtian Shengxiang promises that one code corresponds to one shop, and they will enjoy profit sharing for life.

However, in the view of investor Li Canwei, these "petty profits" can only be regarded as appetizers, and the real big fish is yet to come. He claimed to be a retired employee of a public institution, and his family savings were not sufficient, so he scraped together 50,000 yuan to buy a yard.

For every code purchased, you will receive 50,000 yuan worth of art gold and 20,000 blockchain “Zhongtian points” as a gift.

"Bitcoin's earliest price was 0.3 yuan, and its highest point was 15,000 US dollars. If you remove a zero, it would still be tens of thousands of times." When talking about virtual currency, Li Canwei took out a small notebook and took notes carefully. He told the Southern Weekend reporter , Zhongtian Points is a blockchain 4.0 technology, and the total amount of issuance is fixed, and the gold-anchored value is more valuable than Bitcoin.

Xiao Guo from Suzhou, Anhui, watched helplessly as his father poured in millions of dollars but was unable to stop him. Xiao Guo's father participated earlier, and it is different from Zoucheng's model. Top up the Zhongtian "Loyalty Card" with 50,000 yuan, and receive a 50,000 yuan red envelope. The points on the card can be spent, and the red envelope will be returned in three years.

"Family relations are very tense." Xiao Guo told Southern Weekend reporters that since he became obsessed with making money projects, his father has become mysterious and secretive. He keeps attending meetings and going to other places for exchanges and studies, as if he is doing something. A major event that changes the world, "It's ridiculous to be able to turn 1 million into 100 million by being listed on the market."

After listening to the explanation at Xilemen Hotel, Sister Gao packed her bags and prepared to go abroad for a meeting. Zhongtian Shengxiang's "family" group is full of news about the "Singapore Global Blockchain Investment Summit" on April 24. Sister Gao and several partners will visit the event in person to "learn the most advanced experience."

Sister Gao used to be in the tea business. Because she thought she had found a good business once and for all, she devoted herself full-time to the new project.

In the eyes of Sister Gao, the promotion meetings held almost every week in Jining are just small occasions. She went to attend a thousand-person conference out of town, with red flags waving and thunderous applause. The spectacle was so spectacular that people will never forget it. In Zhongtian Shengxiang’s promotional materials, there are several conferences held in the stadium alone. In addition, sponsored and broadcast city Spring Festival Galas and military-civilian get-togethers are also common.

The key message transmitted at the meeting is to demonstrate the company's strength. At large-scale gatherings, company bosses will stand in the center of the stage and publicly announce newly signed projects. As for daily small meetings, business licenses and high-end pictures are played over and over with slides. "It's all true. If you don't believe it, you can check it online." Sister Gao was convinced of everything shown at the meeting.

In Zhongtian Shengxiang’s promotion, Zhongtian Code is its core business model. The profit commission generated by scanning the QR code is the main source of profit for the Zhongtian community and investors. According to their estimates, this QR code, which sells for 50,000 yuan, can generate at least more than 50,000 yuan in revenue one year after its implementation.

According to the list of merchants displayed on the Zhongtian Community page, Southern Weekend reporters visited Chaoyang District, Dongcheng District, Xicheng District in Beijing, as well as Tianhe District and Yuexiu District in Guangzhou City, and found more than ten stores. The merchant’s Zhongtian code operating status.

Among the five merchants in Beijing, a hotel with the address column No. 1 on Guanluo Road does not exist, while a Yunnan restaurant on Dongsi North Street, a hot pot restaurant on Dongzhimen Street, and a hotel on Dashilan West Street do not exist. The front desk of a hotel said that he had never heard of Fenrun Software, Zhongtian Community or Yijiange, and online payment only supports WeChat or Alipay.

Only one gym on Guangming Middle Street, Longtan Street, Dongcheng District has a Zhongtian Code sign, but no customer has ever used it. "You were the first to ask."

A hair salon on Siyou Second Road in Guangzhou has closed down, but the Zhongtian Community APP still shows that it is open. A weight loss center on Dongxing South Road said that no one had ever used Zhongtian Community or Yijiange’s QR code for payment. “I have never seen anyone use it.” In a hotel on Tianhe Naner Road and an educational institution in Poly Building, the staff had never heard of this software.

In the above-mentioned weight loss center, after scanning the QR code, a payment page will appear, but the step of "Please select a payment method" cannot be selected, nor can you click to complete the payment.

"We originally had a QR code posted here, because like Alipay and WeChat, customers always scanned it incorrectly, so we tore it off because it was in the way." A cashier at a tea restaurant in Huapu Plaza said to Southern Weekend reporter said.

In addition to cooperative merchants, Zhongtian Shengxiang announced that the revenue from the direct operation segment is also very considerable. The self-operated interface on the main menu of Fenrun Software states that they are self-operated lifestyle e-commerce brands under Zhongtian Community. When purchasing goods through self-operated stores, you can select the corresponding voucher during settlement to deduct the corresponding amount. However, only 4 products can be found in the entire self-operated area, and online payment is also not possible.

Article 3 of the "Measures for the Administration of Payment Services of Non-Financial Institutions" issued by the Central Bank stipulates that without the approval of the People's Bank of China, any non-financial institution or individual may not engage in payment business or engage in disguised form.

Southern Weekend reporters checked the list of companies that have obtained payment business licenses on the central bank’s website and did not find the names of Zhongtian Shengxiang, Gaiwang, and Yi Jiange.

Zhongtian Shengxiang’s externally promoted direct business segment also includes “Gaixiansheng” and “Gaixiang Pharmacy”. Industrial and commercial information shows that the full names of these two companies are Guangdong Gaixiansheng Technology Development Co., Ltd. and Guangdong Gaixiang Pharmacy Co., Ltd. Kou Nannan and Zheng Yongxiong are the legal representatives or shareholders of these two companies.

Southern Weekend reporters found on-site visits that the Guangzhou branch of Gaixiang Pharmacy is located at the Taiheng Building on Siyou 1st Road, which is just a work station within another unrelated company; Gaixiangsheng is located in Huangpu The office at R&F Yinglong Plaza, No. 76 West Avenue, is actually a professional organization that provides company registration and virtual office rental.

At every Zhongtian Shengxiang promotion meeting, the speaker will focus on promoting the company's strong strength, revolutionary innovation model and extensive industrial layout. (Southern Weekend reporter Li Zailei/Photo)

Zou Cheng, Mr. Li, announced at the press conference that anyone who purchases 50,000 yuan of Zhongtian code can become a partner of Zhongtian Shengxiang. She also showed the unique equity structure of the head office on the big screen. Among them, the partners account for 35% of the company's equity, Guangzhou Yougaojiu Marketing Management Co., Ltd., which is responsible for technology development and management, holds 35%, and the resource side China Economic News Lianbo.com and Kaiyuan International Financial Holdings Co., Ltd. hold the remaining 30% of the shares.

In their publicity, China Economic News Network and Kaiyuan International Financial Holdings Co., Ltd. are Chinese-funded central enterprises with strong strength and can help Zhongtian Shengxiang expand and improve its business.

In fact, Zhongtian Shengxiang’s shareholding structure is very simple. Industrial and commercial information shows that Zhongtian Shengxiang Company has only two natural persons as shareholders, Kou Nannan, who holds 70% of the shares, and Chen Daorui, who holds 30% of the shares. They have no background as a central enterprise. The company's address is located in Building 2, No. 9 Jianguomen Nei Street. The address is an office on the top floor of a hotel.

In the PPT promotion, Zhongtian Shengxiang’s business lines are divided into six major sectors: agriculture, health, natural resources, cultural creativity and the Internet. Gaixiang Pharmacy mentioned above belongs to the health sector, while Gaixiansheng belongs to the agriculture sector.

In the agricultural sector, there is another important company called Suzhou Selenium Valley. Suzhou Selenium Valley Technology Co., Ltd. has many shareholders, but neither Zhongtian Shengxiang, Kou Nannan, or Zheng Yongxiong appear in the shareholder list.

In addition, the Internet section displays the most industries. In addition to Zhongtian Community and self-operation, it also includes "Three-Eyed Frog", "Yijian Premium" and "Xiongxiong Car".

Three-Eyed Frog is a conference software, and Zhongtian Shengxiang has introduced many conference contents in it. The developer of Three-Eyed Frog is Wuxi Hanyong Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Hanyong Technology"), which is a company listed on the New OTC Market. Industrial and commercial information shows that Hanyong Technology has no equity relationship with Zhongtian Shengxiang.

"It's just cooperation. We are an independent company, not owned by them. We only have some consulting and conference systems from them." Hanyong Technology responded to the Southern Weekend reporter by phone.

Zheng Yongxiong has also promoted the One Health Premium project in public. Yikeyianyoupin is a shopping software that launches two special areas for group sales and limited-time sales to share discounts and benefits with consumers. In fact, this app is hard to find. It cannot be found in either the Apple store or the Android store, let alone downloaded and installed.

Xiongxiong Car is affiliated to Guangdong Xiongxiong Car Technology Information Co., Ltd. It is a platform that combines online and offline services to provide car owners with self-service maintenance services. After checking the industrial and commercial information, the names of Zhongtian Shengxiang, Kou Nannan, and Zheng Yongxiong were not found in the shareholder list.

The company is located on the 11th floor of Xinghui International Building, No. 8 Jinsui Road, Guangzhou. Similar to Gaixiansheng, this place is also a specialized agency that provides company registration and virtual office rental.

In the cultural and creative sector, Zhongtian Shengxiang claims to own two listed companies, Gate Vendorstures and IPDN. A report published by FT Chinese website titled "The Mystery of the Skyrocketing Share Price of a Cash Shell Company" pointed out that Gate Ventures is just a shell company that raised 3 million pounds in a rights issue and has no actual business.

Before the publication of this report on the FT Chinese website, Gate Ventures had been delisted, and relevant information can only be found on the website of BRITDAQ. The London Stock Exchange Group responded to Chinese media saying that Gate Ventures has long been delisted and that Bidak Market is not a public securities trading center and has no relationship with the London Stock Exchange.

After Southern Weekend’s 2016 report investigating Gaiwang was published, many of Gaiwang’s operating agencies across the country were investigated and punished on suspicion of pyramid schemes. Many media followed up and reported that Gaiwang’s development offline was “suspected of pyramid schemes.” ".

A 2017 judgment from the Judgment Document Network showed that "net-covered" funds and original stocks were not subject to state supervision or filing, and were deceptive. High returns were obtained by developing offline methods, among which , Kou Mounan and Zheng received the payment.

This is not the first generation of "vest". According to the People's Court Daily, as early as 2015, Guangdong Zhangshangpin Internet Technology Development Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Zhangshangpin") held investor meetings to promote investment projects, develop offline investment members, and promised to continue to invest within two years. The company will return 2.6 to 2.8 times the profits with interest, illegally absorbing huge amounts of money from the public. Therefore, Li Shaozeng and Zou Fei, the persons in charge of Zhangshangpin, were sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment.

Industrial and commercial information shows that Li Shaozeng is also a shareholder of Beijing Gai Netcom Media Technology Co., Ltd., and the legal representative of this company is Zheng Yongxiong. In Zhongtian Shengxiang’s publicity system, Zheng Yongxiong is the chief architect of the business model and the soul of the company in its early days.

Kou Nannan, who now occupies the "C position" in official promotion, entered the company later than Zheng Yongxiong. "Try it if you have the opportunity." In a sharing meeting, Kou Nannan said that he had retired in the second half of 2013. Under the introduction of "Mr. Zheng", he became interested in the Internet and wanted to start a new career, so he immediately chose to join Gaijin. net.

When Kou Nannan reviewed the entrepreneurial journey at the sharing meeting, the huge LOGO on the background wall had become "Yijian Ge". During this period, the fund projects of Gaiwang were no longer mentioned, and the community O2O platform "Yijiange" became a flagship product.

The developer of Yijiange is Guangzhou Yongzhi Information Technology Co., Ltd. Kou Nannan is the director of the company, and Zheng Yongxiong was originally the legal representative of the company. On June 1, 2017, the legal representative was changed to Zhang Zhixiong.

The company claims that Yijiange software is a combination of offline entities and online platforms. Stores provide online traffic, and the platform interacts with customers, promoting consumption offline, "forming a complete O2O closed loop". At this time, "O2O" replaced "Internet +".

A person in Henan told a reporter from Southern Weekend that his father recharged 50,000 yuan of Yi Jiange's "consumer card." I keep saying it all day long, Brother Yi Jian is a patriotic enterprise and a leader in the Internet industry. The consumer card promised rebates for 160 weeks, and you could eventually get 100,000 yuan. However, just a few months after the money was invested, the rebates were discontinued. At first, it was explained as a system upgrade, and later it was converted into original shares. "What is the blockchain now?"

Finally, from the "reincarnation" of Gaiwang to the "blockchain" stage of Zhongtian Shengxiang, double or ten times the rate of return can no longer arouse people's appetite. Zhongtian Sheng Xiang’s new story became “invest 50,000 yuan and become a billionaire.”