🇨🇳
CHINA
#3 WCI
FRAUD TYPES
ORC networks, pig butchering leadership, NFC relay (Ghost Tap), digital skimming, telecom fraud
KEY FACTS
Chinese-led syndicates run much of the Southeast Asian scam-compound industry (estimates $43.8–75B a year). Gift-card draining targeted by US Project Red Hook. 'Ghost Tap' NFC-relay tools sold on Chinese-language channels.
REPORT FRAUD IN CHINA1▸
1 agency you can contact. Tap one for how to reach it and what to have ready.
MPSMinistry of Public Security▸
NATIONAL · CYBER / CRYPTO
BORN HERE7▸
7 people in our case files were born in China. Tap to open the report.
OPERATED HERE12▸
Physically based or working in China — lived, ran an office, met victims or was stationed here, per the record. Hacking a target here does not count.
China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
Jan 2026–Held in China after extradition; no charges made public, no trial reported.SOURCE: CNN
Anhui province and Beijing, China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
July 2014–Dec 2015Runs Ezubao from Yucheng Group; fake leasing projects raise ¥50B+ from ~900,000 investors.SOURCE: Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court, Sept 2017
Jan 2016Arrested; sentenced to life in Sept 2017.SOURCE: Xinhua
Dalian, China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
2011–2013Park Jin Hyok works at Chosun Expo, a front company in Dalian, according to the DOJ.SOURCE: DOJ complaint, Sept 2018
Tianjin, China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
2014–2017Lantian Gerui raises ~£4.6B from ~128,000 investors on promised returns of up to 300%; the proceeds are turned into bitcoin.SOURCE: Met Police; sentencing remarks
2017Flees as Chinese police close in.SOURCE: Malay Mail
Shanghai, China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
24 Dec 2019Reportedly last seen at Shanghai Disneyland; a fugitive since.SOURCE: press reports; Malaysian police
Shanghai, China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
2017Founds Binance in Shanghai; leaves after China bans crypto exchanges that autumn.SOURCE: case brief
Shenzhen, China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
30 Jan 2024Handed to Chinese police with his son and eight others.SOURCE: Wikipedia; Xinhua
Sept–Nov 2025Tried at the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court; sentenced to death on 3 November 2025; dies of illness in custody on 11 November.SOURCE: Global Times; Xinhua
Wenzhou, China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
29 Sept 2025Wenzhou Intermediate People's Court sentences 11 to death.SOURCE: CNN
29 Jan 2026The 11 executed after the Supreme People's Court approves the sentences.SOURCE: CNN; SCMP; Global Times
Shenzhen, China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
2016–2023Lives in Shenzhen and runs Bitzlato, the exchange that the DOJ says moved ~$700M for darknet markets including Hydra.SOURCE: DOJ E.D.N.Y.
China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
Nov 2025–Arrested on arrival in Nanjing; new proceedings pending.SOURCE: HKFP; ABC News
Dalian, China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
c.2011–2014Works at Chosun Expo Joint Venture, the front company through which the DOJ says the operations were run.SOURCE: DOJ complaint (alleged)
China
WHAT THEY DID HERE, AND WHEN
before 2021Chinese national; lived in China before moving to Cambodia and the UAE, according to the DOJ.SOURCE: DOJ
OUR CASES BY CATEGORY▸
Share of the 13 cases tied to China (born or operated here)
FRAUD METHODS TIED HERE21▸
From the Global Fraud Encyclopedia and the cases above. Tap a method for its page.
#1 Pig Butchering (Romance-Investment Scam)used in our cases ▸#2 State-Sponsored Crypto Theftused in our cases ▸#3 Ransomwareused in our cases ▸#4 Ponzi Schemeused in our cases ▸#7 Money Launderingused in our cases ▸#13 Gift Card Fraud / DrainingEncyclopedia ▸#17 Investment Scam (General)used in our cases ▸#19 Crypto Exchange Hackused in our cases ▸#22 PhishingEncyclopedia · used in our cases ▸#23 NFC Relay / Ghost TapEncyclopedia ▸#24 Digital Skimming (Magecart)Encyclopedia ▸#25 DeFi Protocol Exploitused in our cases ▸#30 Embezzlementused in our cases ▸#35 Cryptocurrency Ponzi / HYIPused in our cases ▸#43 Lottery / Sweepstakes Scamused in our cases ▸#44 Bribery / Corruptionused in our cases ▸#45 Counterfeiting (Products)Encyclopedia ▸#46 Invoice / Procurement Fraudused in our cases ▸#49 Trade-Based Money LaunderingEncyclopedia · used in our cases ▸#58 Employment / Job Scamused in our cases ▸#83 Shell Company Fraudused in our cases ▸KNOWN FOR▸
THE PICTURE▸
Chinese-run criminal networks are central to the industrial scam compounds of Southeast Asia, especially in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, which run 'pig-butchering' investment and romance fraud against victims in China and worldwide. Beijing has cracked down hard: 2,876 Chinese suspects were repatriated from Myawaddy in early 2025, over 630 buildings at the KK Park compound were demolished, and all related suspects were reported returned by February 2026 (Ministry of Public Security, 2025–2026). In January 2026 a Wenzhou court executed 11 members of the Ming family syndicate from Myanmar's Kokang region after death sentences in September 2025 (CNN, 2026). Chinese investors are also frequent victims of domestic Ponzi schemes, such as the Lantian Gerui scheme whose proceeds turned up as 61,000 bitcoin in the UK (Metropolitan Police, 2025).
TOP FRAUDSTERS FROM HERE3▸
Xu Jiayin (Hui Ka Yan) SANCTIONEDREPORT PENDING
$78bn (inflated revenue); 47M yuan fine · 2019–2020
Evergrande founder, fined by China's securities regulator after its property arm inflated revenue in 2019–2020; banned from the securities market for life.
SOURCE: China Securities Regulatory Commission, March 2024
Ming Guoping (Ming Xiaoping) CONVICTED
10bn yuan+ (~$1.4bn; telecom fraud and gambling proceeds) · 2015–2023
Member of the Kokang-based Ming family that ran scam compounds in Myanmar; sentenced to death with 10 others and executed in January 2026.
SOURCE: CNN / SCMP, Jan 2026
OPEN REPORT ▸
Guo Wengui (Miles Guo) CONVICTEDREPORT PENDING
$1bn+ (raised from followers) · 2018–2023
Exiled Chinese businessman convicted in New York of defrauding thousands of online followers through fake investment offers; sentenced to 30 years and ordered to forfeit $889 million. He plans to appeal.
SOURCE: US DOJ; Bloomberg, June 2026
FRAUD BY CATEGORY▸
No official body here publishes a breakdown of fraud by type, so we show none rather than guess.
KEY NUMBERS▸
2,876 Chinese telecom-fraud suspects repatriated from Myawaddy, Myanmar (Ministry of Public Security, March 2025)
630+ Buildings demolished at Myawaddy's KK Park scam compound (Ministry of Public Security via Global Times, Feb 2026)
62,000 People prosecuted for telecom and online fraud (Supreme People's Procuratorate via Global Times, Feb 2026)
WHO FIGHTS IT▸
Anti-Telecom and Online Fraud Law in force since 1 December 2022.
Ministry of Public Security runs joint repatriation operations with Myanmar and Thailand under a ministerial coordination mechanism set up in early 2025.
Courts sentenced leaders of the Kokang 'four families' (Ming, Bai, Wei, Liu); 11 Ming and four Bai family members were executed in early 2026.
The China Securities Regulatory Commission pursues securities fraud, including the 2024 Evergrande penalties.
SOURCES▸
Ministry of Public Security via Xinhua / Global Times, 2025–2026
CNN, Sept 2025 and Jan 2026
South China Morning Post, Jan 2026
Metropolitan Police / CNN, Nov 2025
Bloomberg / NBC News, June 2026
US Department of Justice, Oct 2025
China Securities Regulatory Commission, March 2024
Case lists and figures compiled September 2026 from court records, regulators and major press; statuses change. Series reports above are fact-checked case files.