A Chinese court has handed down death sentences to 11 individuals involved in a vast, family-run criminal network that operated online scam and gambling schemes across the China-Myanmar border. The Wenzhou Intermediate People’s Court in Zhejiang Province announced the verdict on Monday, stating that the group was responsible for large-scale fraud, human trafficking, and the deaths of workers who attempted to flee the scam compounds.
According to official reports, the syndicate was managed by a family known locally as the Ming group, which had gained significant influence in the Kokang region of northern Myanmar — a semi-autonomous territory along China’s border. The group allegedly established multiple compounds, including a major base called “Crouching Tiger Villa,” where thousands of trafficked individuals were forced to participate in online scams and illegal gambling activities.
Investigations revealed that at the height of their operations, nearly 10,000 workers were involved in conducting cyber fraud schemes under the family’s control. The compounds were heavily guarded, and individuals who resisted orders or tried to escape faced violent punishment. The court cited several incidents of brutality, including a shooting in October 2023, where armed members opened fire on people attempting to flee one of the scam sites, resulting in four deaths.
The criminal organization’s activities reflected the broader challenge of cross-border cybercrime in Southeast Asia, where corruption and ongoing conflicts have allowed criminal groups to thrive. The Ming family and their associates reportedly leveraged their local political and military connections to protect their network and expand operations into drug trafficking, illegal casinos, and organized prostitution.
China intensified its crackdown on such scam networks in 2023 following mounting public pressure from families of trafficked victims and growing media attention. In November that year, Chinese authorities issued warrants for members of the Ming family, offering rewards ranging from $14,000 to $70,000 for information leading to their arrest. The group’s leader, who had reportedly served as a member of a regional parliament in Myanmar, took his own life while in custody, according to Chinese state media.
The court also sentenced five additional defendants to death with a two-year reprieve and imposed prison terms ranging from five to twenty-four years on twelve others. Chinese authorities stated that the group’s crimes led to at least ten deaths.
Beijing’s actions form part of a broader regional effort to dismantle cybercrime rings that target Chinese citizens. Authorities have reported that over 53,000 suspects and victims have been repatriated from scam compounds in northern Myanmar since the crackdown began.
Despite recent enforcement measures, experts note that Southeast Asia’s online scam networks remain highly adaptive. Many criminal groups are turning to cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence to expand operations and conceal financial flows. Analysts warn that while the convictions mark a strong legal response, eradicating cross-border fraud will require deeper cooperation between governments, stricter financial monitoring, and ongoing protection for victims of trafficking.
