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AB DAO

avoid.net/ab-dao→18/100·82% conf.
[AI-DRAFTED · AWAITING VERIFICATION]

Auto-generated score, not yet verified against the scoring model. Under review — treat as indicative, not a verdict.

anchored·56MoPm…62dP

Summary

AB DAO (ticker: $AB) is a decentralized autonomous organization and blockchain ecosystem that emerged in early 2025 from the rebranding of the Newton Project (formerly $NEW), originally founded in 2018. The project attracted significant investigative scrutiny in April 2026 when a joint OCCRP and Guardian Australia investigation found that AB-affiliated entities promoted a Timor-Leste crypto resort project that involved multiple individuals subsequently sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for alleged ties to the Prince Group, described by U.S. authorities as a multibillion-dollar online fraud syndicate. AB also announced a blockchain partnership with World Liberty Financial, a cryptocurrency project co-owned by Trump family members, in November 2025.

Connected Entities

2 entities · 1 linked investigation
Organizations
□AB DAO□Hu Xiaowei (Prince Group second-in-command)2
Relationships
  • AB DAO→mentioned with→Hu Xiaowei (Prince Group second-in-command)(80%)
Also appears in
Hu Xiaowei (Prince Group second-in-command)·2

Connected Through

1 shared actor · 1 investigation

Distinct actors this investigation shares with others — holders, traders, and named parties. Shared infrastructure (exchanges, pools) is excluded.

Have evidence about AB DAO?

Timeline(12 events)

2018

Newton Project founded with the goal of building a decentralized community economy.

BingX Academy / Gate Learn

10 February 2025

Newton Project rebrands as AB; Newton DAO becomes AB DAO with $NEW token holders migrating to $AB.

CoinLive

10 April 2025

AB announces the launch of AB Core and a next-generation wallet solution.

Bitkan

June 2025

AB DAO and AB Charity Foundation sign an MOU with AB Digital Technology Resort Lda to develop a blockchain theme resort in Dili, Timor-Leste.

The Block (press release)

July 2025

Lin Xiaofan donates $500,000 to Timor-Leste President Ramos-Horta's charity. Ramos-Horta issues Lin a diplomatic passport, designating him special adviser for economic and commercial affairs.

OCCRP

October 2025

Sui Chenggang meets World Liberty Financial executives including Donald Trump Jr. in Singapore.

OCCRP

October 2025

U.S. Treasury sanctions Yang Jian, Yang Yanming (Kimi Yang), and Shih Ting-yu (Vivian Shih) for alleged ties to Prince Group CEO Chen Zhi and the Palau resort project.

OCCRP

November 2025

AB announces partnership with World Liberty Financial, granting WLFI the right to deploy its USD1 stablecoin on the AB blockchain.

Binance Square / Decrypt

November 2025

Timor-Leste resort MOU terminated. Three sanctioned individuals removed from AB Digital Technology Resort Lda shortly after U.S. sanctions announcement.

OCCRP

15 December 2025

Zhao Chen (wife of alleged Prince Group 'second in command' Hu Xiaowei) divests her 38% stake in the Timor-Leste resort company.

OCCRP

February 2026

OCCRP and Guardian Australia investigators visit the proposed Timor-Leste resort site and find an empty plot with shrubs — no construction activity.

The Cooldown / OCCRP

8 April 2026

OCCRP and Guardian Australia publish joint investigation linking AB DAO's resort project to U.S.-sanctioned individuals with alleged ties to the Prince Group fraud syndicate.

OCCRP
Provenance & Audit Trail
Anchored on SolanaVerify on-chain12 Wayback Archives

Decision Log

This investigation is cryptographically anchored to the Solana blockchain (1 event). 12 of 14 cited source URLs have an Internet Archive snapshot.

full audit log →version history →

model: claude-sonnet-4-6

generated: 6/19/2026, 5:21:20 PM

last updated: 7/28/2026, 4:23:11 AM

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