My name is Trung Nguyen. I was born in Bac Lieu, Vietnam, in 1976. At just three years old, I fled the fall of South Vietnam with my family by boat. After eight days at sea, we were rescued by the Malaysian Navy and taken to a UN refugee camp in Indonesia. Six months later, we were sponsored to the United States, where my real journey began.
I was raised by my father alone. Just him and me — starting from scratch in a foreign land with no money, no connections, and no certainty. He worked in a fish factory for three decades to provide for us. Watching him grind day after day gave me an early understanding of sacrifice, discipline, and resilience.
Inspired by his example, I committed myself to building a better life. I earned a degree in Accounting from Bentley College and went on to build multiple businesses over the years, including VioClean — a successful water damage restoration company I ran for 17 years — as well as ventures in real estate, vending, and digital marketing. I also became a devoted husband and father to twin children, coaching youth sports and staying deeply involved in their growth and education.
Bitcoin, the Trial, and the Turning Point
In 2017, I began helping individuals acquire Bitcoin—a revolutionary technology I believed, and still believe, empowers people with financial sovereignty and freedom beyond centralized control. At the time, regulatory guidance around cryptocurrency was minimal, and the space was rapidly evolving with both innovation and uncertainty. I took proactive steps to operate transparently: I registered with FinCEN, implemented an AML policy with professional guidance, verified customer identities, and hired a CPA to maintain clean records. During trial preparation, we retained a retired FBI agent and former Coinbase compliance expert who was prepared to testify about our efforts toward compliance. However, the government chose to suppress this expert testimony and instead advanced a narrative that did not reflect the full truth of our operations.
Despite never advertising or promoting any illegal activity, my Bitcoin transactions eventually drew the attention of federal authorities. In January 2021, my home and business were raided in a highly militarized operation involving dozens of federal agents, armored vehicles, and tactical gear. My teenage children were pulled from bed and forced outside into the freezing cold without proper clothing. My elderly parents were handcuffed. The experience was traumatic and left lasting scars on my family.
During the trial, prosecutors presented the case as if Bitcoin itself was suspicious. They pushed for a harsh sentence not based on violence or fraud — but as a deterrent to others who might consider engaging in Bitcoin-related services. The judge and prosecution even acknowledged that part of the sentence was intended to “send a message,” despite the fact that people continue to call their offices daily about crypto scams — proving the deterrent theory is deeply flawed.
Throughout the process, I maintained that I had no knowledge of third-party criminal schemes behind the transactions. In fact, even government witnesses admitted under oath that they lied to me about the source of funds and that I had no part in their activities. Still, I was convicted and sentenced.
But that wasn’t the end of my story. It was the beginning of a transformation.
Rather than let this experience define me, I chose to use it as fuel. I deepened my education, clarified my mission, and aligned my life around truth, transparency, and service. Today, I stand not as a victim of a broken system and the war on crypto, but as a builder of a better one — using my experience with Bitcoin, my personal transformation, and my faith in decentralized systems to lead others toward strength, sovereignty, and redemption.
I now serve as an Ambassador for PrisonProfessorsTalent.com, where I guide others in using writing, self-discipline, and storytelling to reclaim their voice and rebuild their lives. I developed the Writing & Transformation Protocol Manual to help others use their experience as a foundation for redemption.
My mission is to turn adversity into a blueprint for freedom — rooted in Bitcoin, fitness, and spiritual alignment. I believe in personal sovereignty, public service, and the quiet strength that comes from doing the inner work every single day.
