Google sued Yunfeng Sun (also known as Alphonse Sun) and Hongnam Cheung (also known as Zhang Hongnim and Stanford Fischer) over an alleged transnational scheme involving fake cryptocurrency-exchange and investment apps. The complaint, filed April 4, 2024, said the apps were promoted through Google Play, text messages, social media, videos and affiliates, and that users were shown fictitious balances before being blocked from withdrawals.
On October 17, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered a default judgment after the defendants failed to answer. The court permanently barred them and associated parties from using Google services and accounts to promote the relevant apps and products. That order did not itself refund victims or award them a stated monetary recovery.
What Google sued over
The case, Google LLC v. Sun et al., No. 1:24-cv-02559, concerned allegedly fraudulent investment and cryptocurrency-exchange apps—not a claim that cryptocurrency itself is illegal. Google alleged that the defendants:
- Created apps that appeared to provide legitimate trading or investment services.
- Misrepresented their identities, locations and business purposes during Google Play onboarding.
- Used “wrong-number” text conversations, social-media posts, videos and affiliate marketing to attract downloads.
- Displayed false account balances or investment returns.
- Blocked withdrawals and demanded additional deposits described as taxes, fees or account-activation payments.
The allegations appear in Google’s April 4, 2024 complaint. Allegations in a complaint are not the same as findings after a contested trial.
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How the alleged scam worked
- Initial contact: A target received an unsolicited message, often framed as a mistaken text that developed into a friendly conversation.
- Investment pitch: The contact directed the target to a purported cryptocurrency platform or investment opportunity.
- App download: The target installed an app that appeared to offer cryptocurrency trading or investing.
- Fictitious profits: The app allegedly displayed balances and returns that did not represent real assets.
- Withdrawal trap: When the user tried to withdraw, operators allegedly demanded more money for taxes, verification, processing or account activation.
- Further loss: Paying the extra charge allegedly did not unlock the account; it increased the victim’s loss.
Google said the operation ran from approximately 2019 through the filing of the suit and caused at least 100,000 Google Play downloads. Downloads are not a confirmed count of unique victims, investors or financial losses.
The role of Google Play and other services
The complaint treated the alleged fraud as a multi-channel operation. Google said the defendants used its app-distribution and account infrastructure while also relying on outside messaging, social media, video and affiliate channels to recruit users.
An app’s presence in Google Play is not proof that its operators are licensed, that claimed balances are backed by cryptocurrency or that withdrawals will be honored. The allegations that the defendants deceived Google during submission illustrate why store availability is only one due-diligence signal.
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What legal claims Google made
Google characterized the conduct as a coordinated racketeering and fraud scheme. Its complaint alleged, among other theories:
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- Racketeering activity and conspiracy under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
- Wire-fraud-related conduct.
- Misuse of Google services and products.
- Damage to Google’s business and reputation.
The filing asked the court for equitable and other relief against the defendants and related participants. It did not establish that every person or entity mentioned in the complaint was adjudicated liable.
What the court actually decided
Judge Margaret M. Garnett entered the default judgment on October 17, 2024. The defendants had been served but did not answer, so the case ended without a contested trial.
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The order entered judgment for Google and permanently prohibited the defendants and associated persons from:
- Accessing or attempting to access Google services.
- Creating or maintaining Google accounts.
- Using Google products or services to promote the relevant apps, websites or products.
- Engaging in conduct that violated Google’s applicable terms and policies.
The case was closed after the order. A default judgment is enforceable relief, but it is procedurally different from a jury verdict or a merits decision reached after the defendants litigated the allegations.
Does the judgment pay victims?
No monetary award to individual victims is stated in the judgment. The order does not create a claims process, automatically reverse cryptocurrency transfers, freeze all related assets or guarantee refunds.
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Recovery can be difficult because crypto transactions may move quickly through multiple wallets, exchanges, mixers or overseas services. Anyone promising guaranteed recovery for an upfront fee may be running a second scam.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why Google used litigation
Google’s affirmative-litigation program describes lawsuits as a way to pursue coordinated abuse rather than removing one app or account at a time. Court orders can potentially reach related accounts and affiliates, support disruption of infrastructure and signal that misuse of Google products may bring legal action.
That strategy does not prove that civil lawsuits eliminate an entire fraud network, and this case did not establish that Google is legally responsible for every fraudulent app appearing on Google Play.
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Is this truly a “landmark” case?
“Landmark” is an editorial description, not a formal judicial designation. The case is notable because a major platform used civil RICO-style litigation against an alleged crypto-investment operation spanning an app store, social engineering and online promotion, and obtained a permanent injunction.
It is not an appellate precedent creating a new test for app-store liability. The defendants defaulted, the court did not conduct a contested trial, and the judgment did not compensate victims.
What to do if you downloaded one of these apps
- Stop sending money. Do not pay another withdrawal, tax, verification or “unlocking” charge.
- Preserve evidence. Save screenshots, messages, app names, website addresses, wallet addresses and transaction IDs.
- Contact the payment provider. Notify the bank, card issuer, exchange or service used to send funds and ask what fraud-reversal options exist.
- Report the app and fraud. Use Google Play’s reporting tools and notify the appropriate government or law-enforcement agencies.
- Secure accounts. Change compromised passwords, enable multifactor authentication and review email, phone, banking and exchange access.
- Reject recovery scams. Never provide seed phrases, private keys, passwords or remote access, and do not pay an alleged recovery specialist in advance.
Separate 2025 government action
On June 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a separate civil-forfeiture complaint involving more than $225.3 million in cryptocurrency allegedly connected to investment fraud and money laundering. That proceeding is not the same case as Google’s 2024 lawsuit and should not be treated as a recovery ordered in Google v. Sun. The DOJ announcement is available here.
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