In a bid to extract profit, Justin Sun is willing to compromise moral principles and challenge authorities. At the heart of his business is not technology but marketing that is supposed to operate like a “brothel”. Such conclusions are contained in an investigation by The Verge, based on comments from 18 former and current employees of the BitTorrent acquisition.<\/p>\n
The founder of the TRON ecosystem is depicted as a spoiled and selfish leader who fostered a stifling working environment with elements of violence.<\/p>\n
Sources point to Sun’s attempts to impose a Chinese corporate culture, where he looks up to his idol \u2014 the hard-working Alibaba chief Jack Ma. Employees are “encouraged” to work by the “9-9-6” principle: from nine in the morning to nine in the evening, six days a week.<\/p>\n
According to those who worked in China, Sun’s philosophy more closely aligns with the practices of local internet companies.<\/p>\n
Sun insisted on dropping Slack in favour of the Chinese DingTalk, which became a tool for spying on staff. His tendency to control manifested itself in pressure on the team from his closest associates in China.<\/p>\n
The publication mentions a case where the TRON Foundation founder censored a list of questions addressed to him by staff. One of them, about the company’s future if the price of TRX fell to zero, drove him into a rage.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWhoever asked that question, we will track and kill their entire family,\u201d he yelled at the moment.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Most employees heard Sun scream at subordinates, banging doors during emotional outbursts.<\/p>\n
Subsequently, fired and suing developer \u0141ukasz Jurasek recalls incidents where he heard the crack of a laptop, the sound of a slap or a hand strike, and even a spit. Before a company-wide meeting, there was fear of being fired. Staff note high turnover at the company.<\/p>\n
Bigger than Bill Gates<\/h2>\n
Sun regards himself as a famous and powerful figure, heir to Chinese elites, destined for greatness. He has set himself the goal of becoming richer than Bill Gates. In Verge’s coverage, in all morally questionable situations and relations with the state, he always replies with the oft-quoted line \u201cI think it’s all OK\u201d.<\/p>\n
A vivid example of his approach was the high-profile lunch with investor Warren Buffett. It came during the escalation of the US-China trade war. Initially, Chinese authorities welcomed the initiative. Later, when the TRON Foundation founder invited Donald Trump to it, he ran into trouble.<\/p>\n
Insiders report a made-up story about “kidney stones”. The employees summoned for questioning during a raid at the Beijing office were instructed not to mention the lunch with the US president in the press. Then followed a confession on Weibo, where Sun pledged not to violate \u201cnational interests\u201d. He later deleted the post.<\/p>\n
Marketing Ahead of Technology<\/h2>\n
A $4.57 million payout to win the auction for the Buffett lunch, which corresponds to the price of 130 Tesla EVs, underscores the business’s foundation. Interviewed employees say that technology plays a subordinate role. They say the internal strategy resembles making a \u201ccopy of Ethereum\u201d.<\/p>\n
Above technology stands marketing, which he once described as needing to resemble a brothel.<\/p>\n
His business ideas are not to strengthen decentralisation but to use the idea to profit, regardless of harm. Sources note that decentralisation for Sun is only an ideology through which he can continue to avoid accountability.<\/p>\n
After the Tesla prank exposure, Sun planned to generate even more buzz and was prepared to pay any amount to keep talking about himself.<\/p>\n
The founder of the TRON Foundation carefully monitors his reputation. Sources note that he paid Reddit moderators to remove a thread with negative comments about the company.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cHe has succeeded in simply attracting attention to himself. Like what happens with children,\u201d one of the interviewees said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Decentralisation \u2014 Only a Front<\/h2>\n
The patience of many employees was exhausted by the BLive development. They feared the app being built would contain prohibited content and pirated copies.<\/p>\n
One informant explained that Sun’s plan was to create a porn app that could bypass censorship laws and the Great Firewall. The key lay in using the BitTorrent protocol.<\/p>\n
Sun intended to open Pandora’s Box \u2014 in a live stream, not only thoughts about freedom, democracy, political reforms, but also what should not be there \u2014 terrorism, child pornography or even killings in real time. The authorities would have no chance to stop it. Everyone would buy TRX to use BLive.<\/p>\n
Sun Ready to Defend<\/h2>\n
Justin Sun responded to this article with a thread on Twitter. In it, he stated that he supports the values of respect, freedom, and equality. Thanks to the development team, he managed to build a multi-million-strong TRON audience that meets the highest standards.<\/p>\n
\nA thread to anyone who cares to read<\/p>\n
(1\/12) I have devoted myself to being a responsible, global citizen throughout my entire life, spending significant portions of my personal and professional life to activities promoting universal values of respect, liberty & equality.<\/p>\n
\u2014 Justin Sun? (@justinsuntron) September 29, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n