上百万元理财款竟变成牛肉，明明当初是投资的“云养牛”项目

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses a fraudulent investment scheme called "全民养牛" (All People Raise Cattle), where investors were promised high returns through a cattle investment model that turned out to be a scam, leading to significant financial losses for many individuals [1][6][8]. Group 1: Investment Scheme Overview - The scheme involved an app where users could "adopt" cattle for investment, with promises of high returns and the ability to monitor cattle health through cameras [4][6]. - Investors were initially able to withdraw their funds, which built trust and led to increased investments [1][4]. - The total amount invested in the scheme reached 5 billion yuan, with over ten thousand investors affected [8]. Group 2: Criminal Activities and Legal Actions - The platform's owner, Zhang, was found to have fabricated claims about overseas cattle farms and used funds from new investors to pay returns to earlier investors, a classic Ponzi scheme [6][8]. - In October 2024, Zhang was arrested for illegal public deposit solicitation, and the case was later transferred for prosecution [8][10]. - The police's investigation revealed that the promised cattle and beef products were not legitimate, and the business model was unsustainable [6][8]. Group 3: Impact on Agriculture and Public Trust - The fraudulent activities severely damaged the reputation of the agricultural sector and misled investors, undermining trust in legitimate agricultural investments [13][14]. - Authorities have recognized the rise in such fraudulent schemes in the "cloud farming" sector and are taking measures to combat these crimes and protect public interests [13][14].