I know little about the author and if he needed a visa to enter the US, or the process to get said visa. But extrapolating a bit from the post (returned to China) and my bit of knowledge it surprises me he was able to reach the US border at all. I'd have though that just to get a visa and be able to board the plane he'd have needed solid proof of having enough money immediatly available to live the full extent of this stay (and a fair bit more.)

From the point of view of the custom agent he was just an illegal worker waiting to happen.

EDIT: How can the "Founder of the Global Bitcoin Stock Exchange" end up in this situation? Doesn't inspire much confidence in this GBSE...