Crypto world Rohmer: Is it sexual assault or false accusation?

Written by: Lawyer Liu Zhengyao

Introduction

Recently, there has been a news story in the crypto world that has attracted a lot of attention: “Wu Says” cites a report from Sing Tao Daily stating that two men in Hong Kong are suspected of sexually assaulting a woman in 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 (a master's graduate from East China University of Political Science and Law in 2025) and a 24-year-old named Xu, both of whom are professionals in the crypto industry.

Therefore, it's probably more appropriate for a criminal lawyer in Web3 to discuss (alleged) sexual assault cases in the crypto industry.

1. The Narrative Template of Rashomon

The K-line chart of Bitcoin is still fluctuating, but the “human nature chart” has shown extreme volatility with large bearish and bullish trends. While everyone is still discussing whether Bitcoin can stabilize above a certain moving average, contrary claims to the aforementioned “sexual assault” allegations have also been mentioned: According to a netizen's tweet, after being entrusted by the family of one of the two men, and based on the information gathered by the lawyer, it is possible that the two men may have been set up (staged).

What we see here is not just an isolated legal event, but a typical “Rashomon” incident. The truth becomes elusive amidst 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. Furthermore, in this crypto circle, which is closest to money and human nature, the impure relationships between men and women, intertwined with interests, traffic, power, and desire, are often magnified many times over.

Putting aside the so-called cryptocurrency circle, even in traditional criminal defense, sexual assault cases are often regarded as one of the most difficult areas to defend (another 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/video recordings, chat records, and even witnesses) or very vague (only verbal testimony). Recently, the “engagement rape case” seems to be more than one instance, causing significant controversy in society and even leading to a confrontation between men and women.

So this is not just an issue of a specific circle, or even a legal issue. Such events occur in the cryptocurrency circle, as well as in other circles; there are controversies in handling sexual assault cases in the civil law system, which also exist in the common law system.

Setting aside the aforementioned cases, the common controversies surrounding sexual assault cases in the cryptocurrency sector (although not numerous at the moment) are often as follows:

Narrative A (Female / Accuser): The hunt for power and the silence of coercion.

In the narrative put forth by the prosecution, this is often a story of “bullying by the powerful.” Key phrases usually include: drinking parties, big shots, unequal resources, blurred consciousness, and coercion. This narrative strikes a chord with the public's hatred for the “hidden rules” in the crypto circle. In this circle, project teams, capital parties (VCs), and exchanges often hold the power of life and death, while those in weaker positions, such as promoters, business development (BD), or retail KOLs, are forced into dangerous social situations for certain resources or collaborations. The core logic of the prosecution is: I depend on you, but that does not mean I agree to sell my body; at that time, I could not resist, and later I chose silence out of dignity or fear, until now I can no longer tolerate it.

Narrative B (Male / Accused Party): The “sucker punch” where the price wasn't agreed upon.

In the narrative of the accused, this moment has turned into a story of “money transactions” or “emotional blackmail.” The keywords have become: initiative, ambiguity, post-event financial demands, talks falling apart, and false accusations. This narrative leverages the deeply ingrained “transactional mindset” in the crypto space. In the eyes of many practitioners, everything can be priced. The male party's defense often comes with screenshots of chat records, attempting to prove that the female party was emotionally stable before and after the incident, and even had a tendency to initiate invitations. Their core logic is: at that time, it was mutually consensual, even extremely enjoyable, so how can it turn into sexual assault when money is mentioned or a certain goal (like listing a coin or investment) is not achieved? This is a typical “pig butchering” or “little essay blackmail.”

2. Why is it called “the crypto circle”?

Why can such sexual assault incidents in the cryptocurrency space trigger a huge public opinion tsunami? This is closely related to the unique ecological soil of the cryptocurrency space.

(1) A “jungle society” with extreme lack of regulation

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

(2) Traffic is justice, and watching the show is mining.

In the world of Web3, the attention economy has been maximized. For many KOLs, black and red are still colors. Just look at some KOLs on Twitter who hardly share any professional knowledge, yet are very generous with all kinds of selfies.

As a result, a controversy involving the “lower body” often attracts much higher viewership than in-depth research reports. Spectators listen to the discussions in Twitter Spaces and share chat records in groups, and this festive mentality diminishes the seriousness of the event itself. Some people even take sides based on whose “essay” is better written or whose chat logs are more explosive. The truth is no longer important; what matters is whether this performance is exciting enough.

(3) Asymmetry of evidence

In cases of sexual assault, the most central controversy often revolves around how to define whether the female party has “consented.”

In the context of the cryptocurrency world, this definition becomes even more ambiguous. For example, if a sexual relationship occurs in order to exchange for benefits, is it considered a transaction or coercion? If afterwards the other party does not fulfill their promise, and the woman reports it to the police, is this considered protecting rights or extortion? If the man uses his industry position to exert pressure, and the woman is half-heartedly compliant, does this count as sexual assault? These interactions, which exist in a gray area, are extremely difficult to gather evidence for legally, yet can easily be swayed by public opinion.

Although in other areas of sexual assault cases, both prosecutors and defense attorneys face these issues to some extent; as a kind of professional ailment of being a Web3 lawyer, I always feel that the issues mentioned above seem to be more pronounced in the cryptocurrency space?

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” with a cool demeanor.

First of all, we must be vigilant against the “victim blaming” mentality and also against the “small essay trial”. Before the police report or the court verdict is released, any party's unilateral statement cannot be considered a “legal fact” (even if one party is telling the truth, and even if the legal facts differ from the objective truth from God's perspective). We cannot assume that because the woman is engaged in BD work or has been active in social situations, she is “morally cheap”, thus justifying sexual assault. The perfect victim does not exist; even if she is opportunistic, it does not mean she can be violated at will.

Similarly, we cannot directly convict a man just because he is referred to as a “scammer” or a “bad guy.” In the crypto world, the cost of using public opinion to ruin a person's reputation is too low, and the damage caused by false accusations is no less than that of sexual assault itself.

Secondly, see through the essence of the “public relations war.” The current public opinion in the cryptocurrency circle often has experts guiding it from behind. When to tweet, when to release recordings, and when to open a Space are all calculated. We may need to think a little more: is there any coincidence in the timing of certain event revelations? What is the appeal? Is it seeking legal justice, or seeking private compensation? Is it a genuine effort to defend rights, or is it to divert attention from the collapse of a certain project?

Finally, let's 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 offense. If it is indeed sexual assault, remember to report it to the police immediately, get a medical examination, and preserve DNA evidence; the law will not be ineffective just because you are a “crypto person”. If it is indeed false accusation, please preserve the extortion evidence and retaliate through legal means, as that is the optimal solution.

IV. Written at the End: The Desolation After the Clamor

It is possible that this “Rashomon” will ultimately turn out like countless previous melons:

The whole internet has been buzzing these days, with thousands of people online listening to Space, and various screenshots flying around. In a few days, a new hot topic will emerge (maybe a BTC crash, or maybe a new Meme coin skyrocketing), and everyone will scatter. The pain of the parties involved (whether it's the harmed body or the slandered reputation) will go unnoticed, leaving only a mess and an even more chaotic image of the industry.

For the cryptocurrency world, this is another test of the bottom line. It reminds us that in this circle filled with myths of getting rich quickly, if we do not uphold the bottom lines of law and ethics, everyone could become a hunter and could also fall prey at any time.