Yeah, these scheming assholes are playing the whole investment vs. consumer purchase thing full to the hilt.
When I made my reports to the Hong Kong Police, they said the "main office" was pretty much a front and all the manufacturing and management facilities are located in the PRC. No doubt some provincial chieftain is holding his protective hand over the whole operation, in exchange for various bribe money.
I hope he (and Alex, Cristina, etc.) are shitting their pants at the current corruption crackdown. It's only a matter of time before they scam the wrong guy, then it's the firing squad. The Chinese don't fuck around with fraudsters.