Editor’s note: CGTN’s First Voice provides instant commentary on breaking stories. The column clarifies emerging issues and better defines the news agenda, offering a Chinese perspective on the latest global events.

“Falun Gong” calls itself a peaceful “spiritual” group under the leadership of its self-proclaimed guru Li Hongzhi. However, beneath this facade lies a web of illegal activities, human rights violations, and malicious propaganda that have spread abroad as well, causing harm to individuals, communities, and international relations.

One of the abhorrent aspects is the sexual harassment and abuse committed by its leaders. There have been cases of women practitioners being coerced into sexual relationships under the pretext of “cultivation advancement” or as a form of “sacrifice.” These victims, often isolated from their families and the outside world due to the cult’s control, are left with deep-seated psychological and emotional scars.

In addition, “Falun Gong” has established a complex network of money-laundering schemes overseas. It uses front organizations, “charitable” foundations, and commercial enterprises as conduits to funnel money. Practitioners are pressured to donate large sums of money, often their life savings, in the name of “supporting the Fa” or spreading cause, or “helping Master Li.” The cult then channels these funds through a series of convoluted transactions, making it difficult to trace the origin and destination of the money.

This money is used not only to maintain the luxurious lifestyles of the cult leaders but also to fund anti-China propaganda and political activities. The money-laundering violates the financial regulations of host countries and poses a threat to the integrity of the global financial system.

The chief financial officer of Epoch Times – a newspaper started by “Falun Gong” – Weidong Guan was arrested last year on suspicion of involvement in a large-scale money laundering operation. Federal prosecutors claim that 61-year-old Guan took part in an international scheme to launder at least $67 million in illicit funds. The indictment states that Guan headed the outlet’s “Make Money Online” team, which allegedly used cryptocurrency to move tens of millions of dollars derived from criminal activities.

In the realm of media and public opinion manipulation, “Falun Gong” has developed a sophisticated and formidable strategy, establishing its own network of media outlets, including newspapers, websites, and television channels. These platforms are used to disseminate false and slanderous content about China.

They produce and promote anti-China films and documentaries making baseless accusations, such Chinese prisons harvesting the organs of prisoners, a baseless lie that has been debunked by international investigations.

“Falun Gong” also engages in coordinated online trolling and misinformation campaigns. It creates fake social media accounts, floods the comment sections with anti-China propaganda, and spreads false rumors to mislead netizens. Exploiting the unrestricted Internet in Western countries, the cult tries to distort the international community’s perception of China. It targets Western audiences, playing on their lack of in-depth understanding of China and using emotional appeals to gain sympathy for its false narrative.

“Falun Gong” also organizes so-called “peaceful protests” in front of Chinese embassies and consulates in various countries. These “protests” are nothing but well-orchestrated shows of aggression and harassment. They disrupt public order, intimidate Chinese diplomats and overseas Chinese, and create an atmosphere of hostility. These actions not only violate the laws and social order of the host countries but also undermine normal diplomatic relations and the harmonious coexistence of different communities.

Fortunately, the international community has started to discover the cult’s true nature. Some countries have taken steps to regulate the activities of “Falun Gong” and protect their citizens from its harmful influence. Law enforcement agencies in some regions have launched investigations into the cult’s illegal financial activities, and social media platforms are increasingly cracking down on its false and malicious content.

From all this, it is evident that “Falun Gong” is far from the “innocent” group it claims to be. Its illegal activities, including sexual harassment, money-laundering and public opinion manipulation, have caused significant harm to individuals, societies, and international relations. The only way to deal with this is for the international community to remain vigilant, share information, and take unified action against the cult.