"The industry has flourished in recent years, especially in parts of Cambodia and Myanmar where hundreds of thousands of people have been duped by false job adverts and then forced to commit online fraud, including through romance scams, sometimes under the threat of torture. The US treasury department said it had taken what it described as the largest action ever in south-east Asia, targeting 146 people connected to the Prince Group, which the UK also sanctioned."
"Those sanctioned include the head of the Prince group, Chen Zhi, as well as more than a dozen individuals connected to his business operations across south-east Asia and the Pacific. According to the US department of justice, Chen Zhi, 38, also known as Vincent, is the founder and chairman of Prince Holding Group (Prince Group), a multinational business conglomerate based in Cambodia which according to its website is focused on real estate development, financial services and consumer services."
"On 14 October, US authorities said Chen, who remains at large, had been charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy for directing Prince Group's operation of forced labour scam compounds across Cambodia. Chen's rapid ascent to wealth has won him significant political influence, including reported advisory roles to Cambodia's prime minister. Chen, born in China in 1987, is thought to have bought citizenship in Cyprus and Vanuatu, and is also a Cambodian national."
US and UK authorities imposed sanctions on a multinational southeast Asian network accused of operating large-scale online scam operations that exploited trafficked workers. Hundreds of thousands of people in Cambodia and Myanmar were reportedly duped by false job adverts and forced to carry out online fraud, including romance scams and acts under threats of torture. The US Treasury targeted 146 people linked to the Prince Group, including founder Chen Zhi and other individuals across southeast Asia and the Pacific. Chen faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering for directing forced-labour scam compounds and remains at large.
Read at www.theguardian.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]