China has executed 11 members of a crime syndicate accused of running large-scale scam operations and illegal casinos across Southeast Asia. Authorities said the group made at least 10 billion yuan, or about $1.4 billion, over several years.
The syndicate, known as the Ming family, was based in Laukkia township in northern Myanmar near the Chinese border. The area has long been linked to casinos, red-light districts, and organized crime.
Investigators said the family controlled a major scam compound called Crouching Tiger Villa. Victims were trafficked there and forced to carry out online fraud, often targeting people overseas.
The group was detained in 2023 after China-backed ethnic militia forces regained control of the region. Their operations reportedly ran from 2015 to 2023.
The syndicate’s leader, Ming Xuechang, also headed the local police force in Laukkia. Chinese media reported that he died after a self-inflicted gunshot wound when arrest warrants were issued.
A Chinese court sentenced 11 Ming family members to death last September. The charges included fraud, illegal detention, and homicide, with authorities linking the crimes to the deaths of 14 Chinese citizens.
In total, 39 family members were convicted. Sentences ranged from five years in prison to life imprisonment.
The executions are part of China’s broader campaign against scam centers operating in Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand. Officials say more suspected crime bosses are on trial as authorities continue efforts to dismantle cross-border fraud networks.
