Alleged Cybercrime 2026

Alleged Cybercrime Kingpin Extradited from Cambodia to China Footage aired by Chinese state television (CCTV) shows billionaire businessman Chen Zhi being extradited from Cambodia to China on January 7, 2026.

According to Cambodian authorities and Chinese state media, the prominent tycoon, wanted by U.S. federal prosecutors for allegedly running one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal networks, has been arrested and sent to China.

The 38-year-old Chen, a dual citizen of China and Cambodia, was detained during the extradition process following months of investigations by both countries. Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior confirmed that Chen’s Cambodian citizenship has been revoked.

The ministry said the operation was carried out at the request of the Chinese government, although it remains unclear what specific charges Chen faces in China. Two other Chinese nationals were also arrested alongside him.

Chen Zhi is the founder and chairman of Prince Group, which presents itself as one of Cambodia’s largest conglomerates, with investments in luxury real estate, banking, hotels, and major construction projects.

Alleged Cybercrime Kingpin Extradited from Cambodia to China

However, U.S. federal prosecutors claim that Chen’s business empire was built on forced labor and cryptocurrency scams that defrauded victims worldwide. At its peak, these schemes allegedly earned Chen and his associates approximately $30 million daily.

In October, the U.S. Treasury Department and the U.K. Foreign Office sanctioned Prince Group and dozens of its affiliates, labeling them as transnational criminal organizations. Chen and several associates were charged in absentia in New York with money laundering and wire fraud conspiracies.

Alleged Cybercrime Kingpin Extradited from Cambodia to China

After years of investigation, prosecutors seized $15 billion in cryptocurrency linked to Chen, marking the largest forfeiture action in U.S. history. Other jurisdictions, including Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, have also frozen or seized hundreds of millions of dollars in assets connected to him.

CNN reached out to Prince Group’s lawyers for comment on Chen’s arrest. The company has previously denied any illegal activity, calling the allegations “baseless” and claiming they were “designed to justify the unlawful seizure of assets.”

Chinese state media released footage showing Chen handcuffed and hooded, being escorted off a plane by Chinese security forces.

According to China’s Ministry of Public Security:

“Chen Zhi is currently under compulsory legal measures in accordance with the law, and related cases are under further investigation.”

The ministry described him as the “ringleader of a major cross-border online gambling and fraud syndicate.”

An official said Chinese authorities would also issue warrants for key members of Chen’s criminal network and are determined to apprehend all fugitives and bring them to justice.

Alleged Cybercrime Kingpin Extradited from Cambodia to China

Cambodia has recently faced increasing pressure to act against fraud networks operating within its borders. The Ministry of Interior stated that Chen’s arrest was “part of international cooperation to combat transnational crime.”

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) noted that these criminal networks are “expanding at an unprecedented scale, despite high-profile crackdowns last year.”

Alleged Cybercrime Kingpin Extradited from Cambodia to China

Jacob Sims, a visiting fellow at Harvard University’s Asia Center and an expert on transnational crime, commented:

“This arrest reflects sustained international pressure reaching a point where continued inaction became untenable. It also reduces escalating Western scrutiny while keeping a politically sensitive case aligned with Beijing’s preference to remain outside U.S. and U.K. courts.”
Alleged Cybercrime Kingpin Extradited from Cambodia to China

Impact on U.S. Charges
Analysts say Chen’s extradition to China makes it “highly unlikely” that he will face U.S. justice in the near term, as China has no extradition treaty with the United States and the two countries are experiencing growing geopolitical and economic tensions.