Chinese Man Arrested for Torturing 1,500 Cats for Crypto Payments

Authorities in China have apprehended a man in his sixties surnamed Ma, who is accused of torturing around 1,500 stray cats in exchange for cryptocurrency. His arrest follows an inquiry by a volunteer group, which had gathered evidence against him and submitted their findings to local police in Pingdingshan.

The group monitored Ma’s activities after previously identifying him as the leader of a Telegram group dedicated to cat abuse. Despite the ban on Telegram in Mainland China, many users bypass restrictions to access it, which has enabled members to share graphic video content of their actions. The group reported that Ma began posting cat torture videos in 2022 and produced many customized videos for clients who supported him through crypto donations.

Evidence suggested that Ma used a second identity, Mou Tian, to interact with group members. Volunteers described instances where Ma adopted stray animals, only to later become abusive towards them. Their surveillance indicated Ma's pattern of leaving his home late at night and returning during early hours, which they suspect facilitated his acts of cruelty.

Following the group's report, police arrested Ma and have held him under administrative detention for 10 days. However, legal experts caution that forming a robust case against him may be challenging. Under Chinese law, stray cats are broadly classified as wild animals, and protections against their abuse are ambiguous. Prosecutors have instead charged him with disturbing public order, as strays cannot be classified as private property, which complicates abuse cases.

This case has arisen during a time when Chinese authorities are intensifying efforts against individuals and organizations involved in laundering money and criminal activities through cryptocurrency. Local police have not provided additional comments on the current status of the case.