MBABANE – The online gambling scam is a broader global scheme that has affected global citizens, mainly from the USA and UK.
After the arrest of the alleged global kingpin for online gambling Chen Zhi in Cambodia in January 2026 and extradited to China to face criminal charges, many of his workers who had been kept in compounds in Cambodia relocated to Africa to set up phone farms for money laundering and pig butchering. It has been established that the United States of America and United Kingdom are following cases of online gambling in countries around the world, including Eswatini, since their citizens are victims of this scam.
It has been disclosed that USA losses to online investment scams have steadily increased over the last several years, totalling over E282 billion (US$16.6 billion). A USA Government estimate indicated that Americans lost at least E170 billion ($10 billion) to Southeast Asia-based scam operations in 2024, a 66 per cent increase over the prior year, with scams like those perpetrated by Cambodia’s Prince Group being particularly significant. On Thursday, the Times of Eswatini reported that senators raised concerns over the influx of foreign nationals, some of whom are suspects of illegal gambling activities.
They feared that the influx of these nationals have the potential of becoming a threat to national security. They also feared that, if the problem remains unresolved, the next election in 2028 may be under threat. “The issue of foreign nationals coming in to engage in illegal activities worries me a lot. I do not know how emaSwati perceive it,” said Senate President Pastor Lindiwe Dlamini as quoted by our sister newspaper. She added: “Police must search everywhere, even in the houses where we have kept them. They come in and splash cash when they pay rent. Take them out.”
Giving the issue a global context, the Senate president drew parallels with ongoing geopolitical tensions. Referencing the conflict between Iran and Israel, the Senate president warned that Eswatini could inadvertently become entangled in external dynamics if vigilance is not exercised.
From a global perspective, this publication can mention that over the course of the past decade, alleged transnational organised criminal groups, like Prince Group, have established profitable cyberfraud operations across Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia. US states in court papers that Prince Group remains a dominant player in Cambodia’s scam economy and has controlled illicit financial flows of billions of dollars.
The USA forfeited Bitcoin valued at E255 billion, while UK authorities have frozen assets linked to Zhi’s network in London, including properties valued at E2.27 billion (£100 million). In total, the two countries seized money and property linked to the scheme valued at E257.27 billion.
As per tradition, the US Embassy in Eswatini does not comment on matters currently before US courts or critical issues being addressed by its central government. The International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), which has a branch housed at the headquarters of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS), is actively combating a surge in online gambling scams and associated financial crimes, which are increasingly linked to organised crime, money laundering and human trafficking.
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… how crimes were carried out
MBABANE – The nature of the scams, as per court documents, depicted a scenario where the Prince Group allegedly operated forced-labour scam compounds in Cambodia, trafficked workers under the threat of violence and torture, forcing them to run ‘pig butchering’ online investment and romance scams.
It is said that these schemes targeted victims globally, including thousands in the United States and the United Kingdom, who were tricked into investing in fraudulent cryptocurrency platforms.
The US indictment alleges his network generated over E510 million (US$30 million) a day at one point. alleged global kingpin Chen Zhi had previously been at large after the US and UK announced sanctions.
The USA’s court papers show the same pattern of operation with that of Eswatini whereby Zhi allegedly set up compounds with automated call centres that used thousands of phones and millions of mobile telephone numbers to facilitate various fraudulent schemes.
In furtherance of these schemes, it is alleged that he and a close network of Prince Group’s top executives used their political influence in multiple foreign countries to protect their criminal enterprise and paid bribes to public officials to avoid disruption by law enforcement.
They subsequently laundered the proceeds of the fraudulent schemes through professional money laundering operations and through Prince Group’s own network of ostensibly legal business enterprises, including its online gambling and cryptocurrency mining operations.
The USA Government alleged in court that Prince Group carried out these schemes by trafficking hundreds of workers.
Like in Eswatini, the workers lived in compounds where they executed their duties. It is alleged that among the most compounds are those under the umbrella of Jin Bei Group Co. Ltd. (Jin Bei Group).
FBI reportedly identified 259 USA persons who collectively lost E306 million (US$18 million) to scammers at Jin Bei Group.
Those arrested in Eswatini were also found in hotels and lodges.
The USA alleged Zhi was directly involved in managing the scam compounds and maintained records associated with each one, including ledgers tracking profits and which fraudulent schemes were run out of which rooms.
America further made allegations that individuals are held against their will in the compounds, engage in cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes, known as ‘pig butchering’, scams.
According to the USA, they allegedly stole billions of dollars from victims in the United States and around the world.
*Full article available on Pressreader*
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