Cambodia has extradited three Chinese nationals to China, including alleged multi-billion dollar crypto scammer Chen Zhi, following a months-long joint investigation into transnational crime, the country’s interior ministry said on Wednesday.
Cambodia Extradites Alleged $15bn Crypto Scammer Chen Zhi to China After Transnational Probe
7 January 2026 - 18:01 CET
By Matt Neill
Chen Zhi is the founder and chairman of Prince Holding Group, a Cambodian conglomerate that has been accused by US and UK authorities of operating large-scale online scam centres across Southeast Asia.
The individuals were transferred on Tuesday at the request of Chinese authorities, with Phnom Penh citing bilateral cooperation on cross-border criminal enforcement.
The ministry said Chen’s Cambodian citizenship had been revoked prior to the extradition. It did not disclose further details on the charges he faces in China, and Chinese authorities have not publicly commented on the case.
Western sanctions and forced labour allegations
In October, Washington and London imposed coordinated sanctions on Chen and dozens of associated individuals and entities, alleging the use of trafficked workers to defraud victims globally.
The US Department of Justice has separately indicted Chen on wire fraud and money laundering charges, alleging Prince Group oversaw forced labour compounds used to conduct cryptocurrency investment scams.
As part of the case, US authorities filed a civil forfeiture action targeting more than 127,000 bitcoins linked to the alleged scheme, valued at around $15bn, described as the largest such seizure in US history.
Southeast Asia, particularly border regions spanning Cambodia, Thailand and Myanmar, has emerged as a hub for industrial-scale online fraud operations, generating billions of dollars annually.
Law enforcement agencies say the operations often rely on human trafficking and coercion to staff scam centres targeting victims worldwide, using crypto assets as a primary method of laundering the proceeds.
