Alleged cyber scam kingpin arrested, extradited to China

Alleged cyber scam kingpin arrested, extradited to China Source: therecord.media/alleged-c… Cambodian authorities on Tuesday arrested and extradited to China Chen Zhi, head of the Prince Group conglomerate and the alleged mastermind behind a multibillion-dollar scam empire. Zhi’s arrest marks the latest chapter in the rapid downfall of one of Cambodia’s most prominent business figures, whose holdings span real estate, banking, entertainment and aviation. It is also considered one of the most significant law enforcement actions to date against Southeast Asia’s sprawling online scamming industry, which operates large compounds where trafficked and enslaved workers are forced to conduct digital fraud schemes. Jacob Sims, an expert on transnational crime and a visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Asia Center, described the arrest as “the best among bad options” for Cambodia, rather than evidence of systemic reform. He noted that Cambodia has historically avoided pursuing senior figures in the scamming ecosystem. “From Beijing’s perspective, securing Chen before Western prosecutors could move reduces reputational risk and allows the case to be managed within China’s own legal and political framework,” Sims said.