Southeast Asian “Pig Butchering” Scam Compounds and a US Money-Laundering Sentencing
US authorities sentenced Chinese national Jingliang Su to 46 months in federal prison for laundering proceeds from a Cambodia-based “pig butchering” fraud operation that stole ~$36.9M from 174 US victims, according to reporting on the Justice Department case. Court filings described a three-stage playbook—social engineering outreach via social media/dating/texts, steering victims to fraudulent crypto investment platforms, and then blocking withdrawals or demanding additional “fees”—with Su acting as a financial conduit; the court also ordered ~$26.9M in restitution.
Separate reporting detailed the operational reality behind similar “pig butchering” scam centers in the Golden Triangle region of northern Laos, including the Boshang compound, where leaked internal chats and a whistleblower account described industrialized fraud run like a sales organization with quotas and scripted victim engagement. The material also described forced labor and debt bondage conditions—confiscated passports, coercion, and violence for rule-breaking or escape attempts—highlighting that many scam operators are themselves trafficking victims compelled to conduct online romance/crypto-investment scams at scale.
Timeline
Jan 28, 2026
Chinese national Jingliang Su is sentenced to 46 months
A U.S. federal judge sentenced Jingliang Su to 46 months in prison for laundering millions linked to a Cambodian crypto scam ring and ordered nearly $26.9 million in restitution. The DOJ said the case was part of a broader crackdown in which eight co-conspirators had also pleaded guilty.
Jan 27, 2026
WIRED publishes Red Bull leaks on Laos scam compound
WIRED published reporting based on documents and WhatsApp chats provided by whistleblower Mohammad Muzahir, exposing the daily operations, forced labor conditions, and financial performance of the Boshang scam compound in Laos. The reporting detailed debt bondage, confiscated passports, and threats used to keep workers trapped.
Jun 1, 2025
Jingliang Su pleads guilty in U.S. crypto scam laundering case
Jingliang Su pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an illegal money transmitting business tied to a Cambodia-based pig-butchering syndicate. Prosecutors said the network stole more than $36.9 million from 174 U.S. victims and laundered proceeds through U.S. accounts, Deltec Bank, and USDT wallets.
Jan 1, 2023
Internal chats document coercion and millions stolen at Boshang
Over an 11-week period captured in leaked internal WhatsApp chats, managers at the Boshang compound used threats, fines, and motivational messaging to control workers while more than 30 workers successfully defrauded victims. WIRED’s review found the logs reflected about $2.2 million in stolen funds during the three-month window.
Jan 1, 2023
Muzahir is put to work inside the Boshang scam compound
At the Boshang compound in Laos, Muzahir was trained to create fake profiles and send large volumes of messages to lure victims into romance and crypto-investment scams. The operation imposed revenue quotas, fines, and incentives while using social media, AI tools, and cryptocurrency to run the fraud.
Jan 1, 2023
Muzahir is trafficked from Thailand into Laos scam network
Mohammad Muzahir, later nicknamed “Red Bull,” was moved from Bangkok through northern Thailand to the Laos border and handed across the Mekong into the Golden Triangle region through a bribery-facilitated transfer. After arrival in northern Laos, he realized the promised IT job was actually forced scam work and that his passport had been taken.
See the full picture in Mallory
Mallory subscribers get deeper analysis on every story, including:
Who’s affected and how
Deep-dive technical analysis
Actionable next steps for your team
IPs, domains, hashes, and more
Ask questions and take action on every story
Filter by topic, classification, timeframe
Get matching stories delivered automatically
Related Entities
Sources
Related Stories
Daren Li Sentenced in Absentia for $73M Pig-Butchering Crypto Laundering Scheme
A U.S. federal court sentenced **Daren Li** (42), a dual citizen of **China** and **St. Kitts and Nevis**, to **20 years in prison in absentia** for conspiring to launder proceeds from an international **“pig butchering”** cryptocurrency investment/romance-baiting fraud that stole more than **$73 million** from victims. Li pleaded guilty in **November 2024** and admitted that at least **$73.6 million** in victim funds was deposited into accounts controlled by his group, with a significant portion routed through **U.S.-based shell companies**; the operation was tied to scam centers in **Cambodia** and relied on a network of money launderers to move funds through U.S. bank accounts and onward to domestic/international accounts and crypto platforms to obscure origins. Li was arrested in **April 2024** at **Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport**, but fled before sentencing in **December 2025** after cutting off his ankle monitor; U.S. authorities have not publicly confirmed his current whereabouts and indicated they will work with international partners to return him to serve the sentence. The court also imposed **three years of supervised release** following imprisonment, and reporting noted that multiple co-conspirators have pleaded guilty, with Li described as the first sentenced defendant directly involved in receiving victim funds.
1 months ago
International Takedown Disrupts Dubai-Based Pig-Butchering Crypto Scam Network
U.S., Chinese, Thai, and Dubai law enforcement agencies disrupted a major cryptocurrency investment fraud network by raiding at least nine scam centers in Dubai and arresting 276 people across the Middle East and Southeast Asia. The investigation began after the FBI received complaints from American victims who lost millions of dollars in so-called pig-butchering schemes, and authorities said the operation used fake online personas, romance-style social engineering, and fraudulent crypto investment platforms to steal funds from victims worldwide. U.S. prosecutors in San Diego unsealed fraud and money laundering charges against alleged operators **Thet Min Nyi**, **Wiliang Awang**, **Andreas Chandra**, and **Lisa Mariam**, along with two fugitive co-conspirators. Investigators said the network operated through **Ko Thet Company**, **Sanduo Group**, and **Giant Company**, luring victims to bogus platforms including `CoinswiftTrading` and `SwiftLedger`, then moving stolen money through cryptocurrency accounts to obstruct recovery. The Justice Department said the action forms part of its broader Scam Center Strike Force campaign against cyber-enabled fraud that reportedly cost Americans **$16 billion** in the prior year.
Yesterday
US-Led Seizure of $15 Billion in Cryptocurrency from Southeast Asian Scam Empire
US authorities, in collaboration with their UK counterparts, executed a historic seizure of nearly 130,000 bitcoins, valued at approximately $15 billion, from a criminal organization operating out of Cambodia. This operation marks the largest financial seizure of any kind in US history. The criminal network, known as the Prince Group and led by CEO Chen Zhi (aka Vincent), ran massive scam compounds across Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. These compounds were notorious for using forced labor to perpetrate large-scale cryptocurrency investment fraud, commonly referred to as 'pig butchering' scams. Victims were lured into online relationships and convinced to invest in fraudulent crypto schemes, resulting in billions of dollars in losses worldwide. The scam operations were characterized by the use of violence and coercion, with trafficked workers held against their will and forced to conduct online fraud on an industrial scale. The US Department of Justice unsealed an indictment against Chen Zhi and the Prince Group, detailing the extent of the operation and the methods used to launder and store the illicit proceeds. The seized cryptocurrency represents the largest amount ever confiscated in a US law enforcement action, underscoring the global reach and financial impact of the scam. The operation also highlights the growing intersection of human trafficking and cyber-enabled financial crime, as the scam compounds relied on both physical and digital means to exploit victims and evade detection. The investigation revealed that the criminal group targeted victims in the United States and around the world, using sophisticated social engineering tactics to build trust before defrauding them. The seizure was the result of extensive international cooperation and intelligence sharing, reflecting the complexity of dismantling transnational cybercrime networks. Authorities emphasized the importance of disrupting the financial infrastructure of such organizations to deter future operations. The case has drawn attention to the need for increased vigilance and regulatory oversight in the cryptocurrency sector, as digital assets continue to be exploited by organized crime. The Prince Group's operations have been linked to a broader pattern of cyber-enabled fraud and human rights abuses in Southeast Asia. The US government has called for continued international collaboration to combat similar scam networks and to provide support for victims of both financial fraud and human trafficking. The indictment and asset seizure serve as a warning to other criminal enterprises leveraging technology and coercion for illicit gain. The operation is expected to have a significant impact on the global cybercrime landscape, disrupting one of the most prolific scam networks to date. Law enforcement agencies are continuing to pursue leads related to the whereabouts of Chen Zhi and other key figures in the organization. The case underscores the evolving nature of cybercrime, where traditional criminal methods are increasingly intertwined with advanced digital tactics and cross-border operations.
1 months ago