China’s foreign ministry has reportedly confirmed that a visiting Atlanta-based banker who works for the financial service behemoth Wells Fargo has been prohibited from leaving the country.

CNN reports that the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Monday that the exit ban placed on Chenyue Mao is due to her involvement in a criminal case.

Mao serves as managing director at Wells Fargo Bank N.A.

“According to Chinese law, the case is under investigation, and Ms. Mao is temporarily unable to leave the country and is obligated to cooperate with the investigation. During the investigation, the authorities will ensure that her legal rights are protected.”

The bank, which operates overseas branches in Shanghai and Beijing, decided to suspend all travel to China following the exit restrictions.

“We are closely tracking this situation and working through the appropriate channels so our employee can return to the United States as soon as possible.”

It is not clear how Mao is linked to the criminal case. Just last month, she was elected the new chair of FCI, a global association of companies formerly known as the Factors Chain International.

In a statement to the BBC, the US embassy in Shanghai says that the Chinese government has long imposed exit bans on US citizens and other foreign nationals, often without a clear and transparent judicial process.

“We track these cases closely, and have raised our concern with Chinese authorities about the impact these arbitrary exit bans have on our bilateral relations and urged them to immediately allow impacted US citizens to return home.”

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The provocative collage master delivers his most ambitious work yet — and it’s pure fire

Artist. Instigator. Innovator.

There are NFT artists, and then there’s Slimesunday — a name that’s become synonymous with provocative digital art, fearless storytelling, and boundary-pushing innovation. Known for walking the razor’s edge between expression and censorship, Slimesunday has built a career out of asking hard questions in soft places — glossy magazines, polished platforms, and now, the hallowed halls of SuperRare’s Offline Gallery.

With Banned from New York, his latest and most ambitious solo exhibition, Slimesunday ascends to a new level — a complete and uncompromising vision that fuses physical works, NFTs, and immersive storytelling into one unflinching critique of modern censorship and creative suppression. This is not just a show. It’s a statement. And arguably, his greatest artistic achievement to date.

From Banned to Beloved: The Rise of Slimesunday

Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Slimesunday (Mike Parisella) made a name for himself by exploring themes too edgy for the mainstream. While social platforms regularly buried, flagged, or shadowbanned his content, audiences couldn’t get enough — his following exploded, and collectors quickly recognized the cultural weight of his work.

His surreal and often erotic collages have graced the pages of Playboy, Penthouse, Glamour, and Hunger, and he’s collaborated with major musical acts like Lana Del Rey, Beck, Katy Perry, J Balvin, and 3LAU, where he serves as art director and co-creator of the audiovisual project SSX3LAU.

In the NFT space, Slimesunday ranks among the top-earning crypto artists — not just because his work is controversial, but because it’s important. His pieces are as technically masterful as they are thematically bold, pulling from digital nostalgia, glitch culture, and raw human psychology. Whether you’re staring at one of his NFTs or walking past one of his wheatpaste works in NYC, the impact is unmistakable.

Banned from New York: A Career-Defining Exhibition

Slimesunday’s exhibition, presented by SuperRare and Roger Dickerman, spans the full spectrum of his medium mastery — physical sculptures, glitchy MP4s, wheatpaste panels, and digital-physical hybrids.

But what ties them all together? A singular theme: visibility vs. control.

“They don’t need to ban you,” Slimesunday says. “They just make sure no one sees it.”

MS Paint (2024) – $18,000

A deeply personal, physical tribute to his first digital art tool. The entire piece — carved in HDU and painted by hand — captures the exact palette and UI of Windows 98, turning nostalgia into fine art.

No Time to Kare & Winamp V6.9 – 5 ETH

Digital tapestries of broken pixels, dithering, and old forum energy. These are animated memories for the LimeWire generation.

Lady Liberty – Auction on July 31

A reimagined icon of freedom in a world of digital oppression. “Posting this hurts my reach,” he says. “But that’s why it matters.”

Weedman – $25,000

What started as glue, weed, and a Playboy ad became a layered commentary on cannabis, race, and incarceration. Backed by a $10,000 donation to the Last Prisoner Project, it’s proof that Slimesunday doesn’t just make noise — he backs it up.

Marked & Sunday School Dropout – $14k–$15k

Two wheatpaste-on-wood pieces that challenge religion, algorithms, and modern dogma. Sunday School Dropout was so controversial it was pulled from a prior gallery. Slimesunday didn’t flinch — he doubled down.

Squares Series (2024–2025)

Inspired by David Hockney, these deconstructed prints blur nudity, censorship, and composition into elegant chaos.

Roll Model – 3 ETH

The birth of Weedman in visual form. A chaotic, raw capture of the artist’s process in its purest state.

The Power of the Provocateur

Slimesunday doesn’t just comment on censorship — he experiences it firsthand. Whether it’s being shadowbanned on Instagram, throttled by opaque algorithms, or cut from a gallery last-minute, he has lived the tension that defines his work.

He’s not chasing likes. He’s chasing truth.

“Religion was the original algorithm,” he says. “Now the church is digital… and the priests wear Patagonia vests.”

This isn’t just edgy rhetoric — it’s the lived experience of an artist creating in a time when platforms, not people, decide what is “acceptable.”

The Offline Gallery: Where Digital Meets Real

SuperRare’s Offline Gallery in NYC is the perfect venue. More than just a space, it’s a proving ground for NFT art’s cultural legitimacy. And with Roger Dickerman and 24 Hours of Art behind it, the platform is set for this moment to resonate beyond crypto — into the larger cultural conversation.

Fireside Chat with RD – July 31, 6–7PM
Opening Reception – July 31, 7–9PM

Final Thoughts: This Is the Moment

With Banned from New York, Slimesunday isn’t just showcasing his best work — he’s cementing his legacy. This is the culmination of years of resistance, experimentation, and raw, unfiltered creation.

This isn’t art that asks for approval. It dares you to look, to question, and to feel.

And that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.

TL;DR

Slimesunday’s Banned from New York exhibition is the most important work of his career — a visceral, multidisciplinary exploration of censorship, nostalgia, and artistic resistance. With backing from SuperRare and Roger Dickerman, this show blends physical and digital mediums in a way only Slimesunday can, and solidifies his place as one of the most essential artists in the NFT and digital art landscape.

Singapore-based artificial intelligence firm Genius Group says it’s temporarily barred from expanding its Bitcoin treasury after a US court order has banned it from selling shares, raising funds and using investor funds to buy more Bitcoin.

A New York District court issued the preliminary injunction (PI) and temporary restraining order (TRO) on March 13 in connection with a broader dispute surrounding its merger with Fatbrain AI, the Genius Group said in an April 3 statement.

Fatbrain AI and Genius Group completed a merger and purchase agreement in March 2024, but by Oct. 30, Genius initiated arbitration procedures to terminate, alleging fraud by Fatbrain AI executives connected to the deal.

In February, Fatbrain AI executives Michael Moe and Peter Ritz filed for the TRO and permanent injunction, blocking Genius Group from selling its shares, raising funds and buying more Bitcoin pending the arbitration outcome. 

The injunction has forced Genius Group to close divisions, halt marketing activities and sell 10 Bitcoin (BTC) from its stash of 440, worth over $23 million at current prices, to continue funding its operations. The firm hasn’t ruled out more sales in the future.

“Genius is taking all necessary measures to minimize Bitcoin sales but anticipates that it will need to downsize its Bitcoin Treasury in the coming months in the event the PI remains in place,” the firm said.

Fatbrain AI shareholders also filed two lawsuits against Fatbrain AI executives, including Moe and Ritz, and Genius Group, in April 2024, alleging violation of federal securities laws in connection with the merger, ASX law said in an October statement. 

Genius Group was subsequently voluntarily dismissed from the suits on Feb. 14. 

Genius Group claims it’s breaking Singapore law by following order 

Genius Group says the US court injunction has also forced it to break Singapore law by halting share compensation to employees as part of its employment agreements.

“We never dreamed that it was possible that a US court could block the company from being able to issue shares, raise funds or buy Bitcoin — all actions that would normally be decided by a public company’s shareholders or Board rather than a court,” said Genius Group CEO Roger James Hamilton.

Related: Rumble embraces Trump-era crypto strategy with $17M BTC purchase

He said the firm will “continue to fly the flag for Bitcoin,” even when legally banned from building out its treasury.

Fatbrain AI didn’t immediately respond to Cointelegraph’s request for comment.

Artificial intelligence firm Genius Group first announced in November 2024 that it had taken the first steps to build a Bitcoin treasury by purchasing 110 Bitcoin for $10 million.

The firm had earlier announced its overall goal of committing 90% or more of its current and future reserves to be held in Bitcoin, with an initial target of $120 million, which saw the stock price surge by 66%. 

Genius Group’s share price is down 9.80% in the last trading session to $0.23, with a further 3.74% drop after the bell to $0.22, Google Finance data shows.

The stock hit an all-time high of over $96 in June 2022 but has since lost over 99% of its value. 

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