In a landmark international law enforcement operation, suspected criminal mastermind Chen Zhi has been extradited from Cambodia to China, marking a significant breakthrough in combating transnational organized crime. The Chinese Ministry of Public Security hailed the operation as a “major achievement” in Sino-Cambodian cooperation against illicit networks.
Chen, who once managed an internet café, allegedly built a sprawling criminal empire from his Cambodian coastal headquarters, generating an astonishing $30 million daily through online gambling operations and sophisticated “pig butchering” scams targeting victims worldwide. U.S. federal prosecutors had unsealed an indictment against Chen in October, accusing him of defrauding Americans and global victims of billions.
Despite his alleged criminal activities, Chen maintained a veneer of legitimacy in Cambodian high society. As founder of Prince Holding Group, he cultivated political connections, serving as personal adviser to both current Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father, former Prime Minister Hun Sen. He held the prestigious honorary title of “neak oknha” and engaged in substantial philanthropy through his Prince Foundation, including a $3 million donation for COVID-19 vaccines that earned personal gratitude from Hun Sen.
Chen’s business portfolio included a $2 million education scholarship program and the establishment of Prince Horology, a Swiss-style watchmaking school. However, court documents in China reveal Prince Group was implicated in at least a dozen judgments related to money laundering and online gambling operations targeting Chinese nationals as early as 2016.
The suspect maintained multiple passports from China, Cambodia, Vanuatu, Cyprus, and St. Lucia, facilitating his international operations. Chinese authorities have indicated they will soon issue arrest warrants for key players in Chen’s network, signaling a comprehensive crackdown on transnational criminal organizations operating in Southeast Asia.