TRON DAO has announced that its founder, Justin Sun, has achieved a notable legal victory in the People's Court of China in a defamation lawsuit against the Chongqing Business Media Group. The court has ordered the Media to remove all false content and issue a formal apology to Sun, who has been a frequent target of media misrepresentations. The Media acknowledged in a statement that it had published false and defamatory content without proper fact-checking or evidence, severely damaging Sun's reputation. Sun commented on an X post that “justice has arrived” after a protracted two-year legal battle.
This landmark ruling follows a comprehensive trial that included hundreds of hours of fact-finding. The Chongqing Yubei District Court ruled that the Media had violated the law by publishing unverified content, including an article and video, which led to significant reputational damage for Sun. The court's decision was not appealed by either party, making the ruling final. This verdict underscores the need for media outlets to verify their sources and uphold journalistic integrity.
The case dates back to March 11, 2022, when the Media published an article on its news platform eastmoney.com. The article falsely accused Sun of insider trading, fleeing abroad to evade the ICO ban, and engaging in fraud and money laundering, among other allegations. These baseless claims quickly went viral, severely damaging Sun's reputation and that of the TRON ecosystem. The Media’s article cited an opinion piece from The Verge, which included interviews with anonymous sources and lacked verifiable evidence. The court found that the original article from The Verge was sensationalized and acknowledged that no relevant authorities had validated the claims.
During the trial, the People’s Court of China scrutinized every detail of the original and reproduced articles. The court concluded that The Verge's article lacked concrete evidence, and the Media's report was devoid of any factual basis, materially violating Sun's reputation. The final verdict declared all claims against Sun to be entirely unsubstantiated.
This ruling is significant not only for Sun but also for the broader blockchain community. It sets a legal precedent on how unfounded rumors should be handled and dispelled. The judgment emphasizes that the internet is not a legal vacuum and that individuals are protected by law against fabricated news coverage with ulterior motives. This case raises public legal awareness, encouraging victims of untrue news reports to assert their rights through legal avenues.
The ruling also serves as a warning to content disseminators against relying on deceptive and unreliable sources. Early legal documents, such as the Reply of the Supreme People's Court, have made it clear that news agencies have obligations to verify their reports, and both the author and the news agency can be held legally accountable for infringing on an individual's right to reputation.
Justin Sun's victory is a critical moment for addressing long-standing rumors and a triumph for the rule of law. It protects Sun's legitimate rights and discourages the spread of misinformation. While pursuing newsworthy content remains important, journalism must adhere to professional ethics by ensuring facts are authentic and accurate.
