{
  "id": 643531,
  "title": "Ex-Chinese pyramid scheme boss rebrands as culture guru, charges US$18,000 to ‘discipline’ kids",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/ex-chinese-pyramid-scheme-boss-rebrands-as-culture-guru-charges-us-18",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-12T06:54:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3363751/ex-chinese-pyramid-scheme-boss-rebrands-culture-guru-charges-us18000-discipline-kids"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "A pyramid scheme mastermind has been uncovered, having transformed himself into a traditional Chinese culture guru who “educates” students through corporal punishment. In July, a pre-recorded video by a 16-year-old Chinese girl named Lin went viral among her friends. In the video, Lin pleads for help: “I don’t want to be sent to an internet addiction treatment school or a behaviour boot camp. If…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}