Iggy's Journal: 52 Singaporeans arrested in China over suspected involvement in illegal pyramid scheme

4 September 2026, PM

Just Reporting

There's been recent news out of China involving a large pyramid scheme crackdown. I'm not going to get into the specifics of that case here, it's an active legal matter and not mine to comment on. But it's a good prompt to talk about how these schemes actually work mechanically.

The pattern is almost always the same. An entry fee upfront, often framed as buying into a development project, a business venture, or "investment shares" in something that sounds official. And often, some form of isolation, moving somewhere unfamiliar, group activities that keep you around only people already inside the scheme, limited contact with outside voices who might ask an obvious question.

The recruitment itself is rarely a stranger with a pitch deck. It's usually someone you already trust, a friend, a family member, sometimes framed as a job opportunity or even a relationship. That's what makes it work. You're not evaluating a stranger's claims critically, you're trusting someone you already have a relationship with.

My Personal Take

Here's the thing that actually gets me about these schemes every time. The red flags are almost never subtle once you know what to look for. Guaranteed high returns, a big cash sum you're told to pay upfront, and the actual product being "recruit more people," not a business that makes or sells anything real. If someone can't explain in one sentence what the underlying business does, that's the whole answer right there.

I know none of you reading this are the target for something this crude. But your kids might be, or a friend going through a rough patch and looking for an easy way out. Send them this if it's useful. The best protection is just knowing the shape of the thing before someone you trust hands it to you.

Cheers, Iggy 🦖