Core Viewpoint - The court has sentenced individuals involved in a large-scale illegal fundraising scheme, highlighting the severe consequences of financial fraud and the importance of regulatory oversight in the financial sector [1][2]. Group 1: Case Details - The Dalian Intermediate People's Court sentenced Zhou Zhifeng to life imprisonment for fraud and money laundering, while Wang Changdong and Lu Hong received 16 and 14 years respectively, along with fines [1]. - The defendants operated under the name "Shanhai Group," falsely claiming substantial assets and annual revenues of several hundred million yuan to attract investments [1]. - From September 1, 2015, to August 11, 2023, the scheme defrauded participants of over 24.419 billion yuan [1]. Group 2: Impact and Consequences - The illegal fundraising activities severely disrupted the national financial management order, resulting in significant financial losses for participants across multiple regions [1]. - Following the verdict, law enforcement agencies initiated asset recovery efforts, targeting funds, stocks, properties, and vehicles linked to the case [2]. - The recovered assets will be returned to the defrauded participants after the judgment becomes effective [2].

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of public awareness and prevention against illegal financial activities, particularly through the dissemination of typical cases of illegal fundraising by the Supreme People's Procuratorate [1]. Group 1: High-Interest Investment Schemes - High-interest investment schemes often disguise illegal fundraising as legitimate online lending, using promises of guaranteed returns and high interest rates to attract investors [2]. - A case involving Zhang and others illegally raised over 2.69 billion yuan, resulting in losses of 1.05 billion yuan for investors, by promoting debt-related financial products with annual returns of 6% to 12.5% [2]. Group 2: Elderly Financial Scams - Scams targeting the elderly, such as "retirement finance" schemes, have emerged, promoting products like "prepaid travel cards" and "retirement apartments" under false pretenses [4]. - A case led by Shen and others illegally raised over 50.3 billion yuan, with unpaid amounts reaching 15.4 billion yuan, by falsely promising guaranteed returns and high-quality services to elderly investors [4]. Group 3: Forex Trading Frauds - Fraudulent forex trading platforms often mislead investors by claiming to offer real forex margin trading, while in reality, funds do not enter legitimate markets [6][7]. - A case involving Wang and others raised over 19.2 billion yuan through a fake forex platform, with unpaid principal amounting to 3.9 billion yuan at the time of the incident [7]. Group 4: Prevention Measures - Investors are advised to verify the qualifications of financial service providers, the authenticity of underlying assets, and the actual use of funds before investing [3][5]. - It is crucial for investors, especially the elderly, to consult with family or professionals and report any suspicious activities to authorities [5].