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Chen Zhi

Chen Zhi
The latest news and top stories on Chen Zhi. A Cambodian-Chinese tycoon, he is the founder and chairman of Prince Group, a multinational conglomerate. He faces indictment in a Brooklyn federal court for wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy, accused of directing forced-labour scam compounds involved in cryptocurrency fraud. The US and UK have sanctioned him and the group.
This undated photo shows Chen Zhi (centre), who is accused of running a crime network from Cambodia, amid his extradition to China. Photo: Handout
Scams and swindles

Editorial | Regional cooperation led to arrest of alleged scam kingpin Chen Zhi

The cross-border nature of his alleged criminal network required governments and law enforcement agencies to work together.

Prince Group

Video | China says extradited scam suspect Chen Zhi engaged in fraud

Cambodia

Video | Accused scam billionaire Chen Zhi extradited to China

Cambodia

Cambodia dissolves accused scam tycoon Chen Zhi’s Prince Bank

The central bank said the lender has been ‘suspended from providing new banking services, including accepting deposits and providing credit’.

A Prince Bank branch in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: AFP
Cryptocurrency

China accuses extradited billionaire Chen of running crime network from Cambodia

Beijing says mainland police will put core members of his crime ring on a wanted list and fugitives should ‘turn themselves in’.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Chen Zhi’s Hong Kong firms rocked by resignations and frozen assets

Police freeze HK$2.75 billion in assets tied to tycoon amid probes into alleged telecoms fraud, money laundering and ‘pig butchering’ scams.

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US-China relations

China showcases joint effort with US in drugs-related money laundering case

Case spanning both nations saw two men sentenced to jail following US tip-off, People’s Daily reports.

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A court in northern China has sentenced two men to prison and fined them for “illegal trading of foreign exchange and disrupting the financial market order”, according to Chinese state media. Photo: dpa
Singapore

Singapore arrests US-sanctioned yacht captain linked to tycoon Chen Zhi

Police said Nigel Tang was arrested for his ‘suspected involvement in money laundering offences’ related to the alleged scam empire boss.

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Thailand

‘Everyone gets a cut’: why Southeast Asia’s scam industry refuses to die

Authorities are seizing assets and raiding compounds, but analysts warn the clumsy crackdown is merely scattering syndicates to new hideouts.

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South Korea

Seoul sanctions Prince Group chairman Chen Zhi in Cambodia crime crackdown

Chen Zhi, the chairman of the Prince Group, is accused of overseeing scam compounds that detained dozens of South Koreans.

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Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi. Photo: Prince Holding Group
Singapore

Singapore deepens probe into Chen Zhi’s alleged scam empire with fresh raid

The city state’s police raided a car loan company that borrowed from a firm linked to the tycoon’s Prince Holding Group.

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Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi. Photo: Prince Holding Group
Japan

Cambodian tycoon linked to scam empire owned luxury condo in Tokyo

The Prince Holding Group boss, who is accused of running a conglomerate built on cyberscam operations, visited Japan frequently.

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US-Asean relations

What US anti-scam ‘strike force’ means for Southeast Asia’s cybercrime fight

Analysts say the US initiative can serve as a coordination blueprint to push back against transnational criminal enterprises.

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Cryptocurrency

US, Chinese authorities ramp up actions against syndicates running crypto scams

Syndicates either trick or coerce targeted victims to invest in bogus schemes and transfer funds via bitcoin, ether or stablecoins.

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Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin play a major role in sophisticated criminal enterprises that involve complex money-laundering networks. Photo: Shutterstock
Cambodia

Chen Zhi’s firm breaks silence, denies tycoon’s empire built on scam money

Prince Holding Group vowed to clear its name amid global asset seizures and forced labour allegations.

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Cambodian tycoon Chen Zhi. Photo: Prince Holding Group
Scams and swindles

Editorial | Silver lining in sprawling scam case is cross-border cooperation

The brazen criminal case involving Chen Zhi shows the importance of joint global efforts against cybercrime and transnational scams.

Singapore

Whisky, limos, missing millions: how Chen Zhi’s Singapore empire unravelled

Court filings reveal how David Wong allegedly orchestrated an internal heist at the Prince Group boss’ Singapore family office.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong freezes HK$2.75 billion in assets linked to accused scammer Chen Zhi

Force targets network of businessman behind Prince Group, which US authorities have designated a ‘transnational criminal organisation’.

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The offensive targeted the network of Fujian-born Cambodian businessman Chen Zhi and his company, Prince Holding Group. Photo: Handout
Cryptocurrency

China, UK police join forces to recover funds from massive crypto fraud

UK police in 2018 seized digital wallets holding more than 61,000 bitcoins, now worth more than US$6.7 billion.

Singapore

Singapore seizes US$115 million in assets linked to tycoon behind scam hub

Police said probe into the Prince Group boss started last year after receiving intelligence from the Suspicious Transaction Reporting Office.

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Asean

Scam crackdown in Myanmar dismissed as ‘not serious’ ahead of Asean summit

The scourge of scams in the region threatens to embarrass Asean as it holds a summit in the presence of world leaders such as Donald Trump.

A soldier stands guard as people from various countries, who were working in the KK Park compound in Myanmar and crossed to Thailand via the Moei river, sit in Mae Sot District, Tak province on Friday. Photo: AFP
Thailand

Thai minister quits amid Cambodia scam and crypto controversy

Vorapak Tanyawong denied any involvement in illicit activities on Wednesday, telling reporters he was quitting to focus on his legal defence.

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IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva (left) speaks with Thailand’s Deputy Finance Minister Vorapak Tanyawong in Washington earlier this month. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong stock market

Director of Hong Kong-listed FSM Holdings resigns amid Cambodia allegations

Resignation follows US authorities’ accusation that Li Thet was involved with criminal network linked to Prince Holding Group.

Hong Kong economy

Man accused of running Cambodian scam farm empire has Hong Kong business links

US has sanctioned 11 Hong Kong companies linked to Chen Zhi, CEO and chairman of Cambodian conglomerate Prince Holding Group.

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Singapore

Thailand, Singapore investigate Chen Zhi’s group after Western fraud allegations

Investigators are reviewing financial ties to the Prince Group after its chairman was charged by the US with running a cyber fraud empire.

People walk past the Prince International Plaza in Phnom Penh on Wednesday. Prince Group Chairman Chen Zhi was charged on Tuesday by the US with running a “sprawling cyber fraud empire”. Photo: AFP
Blockchain

US seizure of tycoon’s US$13 billion in bitcoin raises anonymity questions

Seizure of alleged ‘pig butchering’ scammer’s tokens is latest in series of cases showing law enforcement’s ability to confiscate crypto.

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A representation of the cryptocurrency bitcoin. Illustration: Reuters
Singapore

3 Singaporeans sanctioned over links to Cambodia’s Chen Zhi scam network

Seventeen Singapore-registered entities have also been sanctioned as part of the US-UK cybercrime crackdown.

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Cambodia

Explainer | Who is Chen Zhi, the ‘untouchable’ tycoon linked to Cambodia’s scam hubs?

The Prince Group’s boss is ‘a deeply state-embedded actor in Cambodia’, where he allegedly directed operations of forced labour compounds.

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