Alleged gambling kingpin linked to scam centres extradited from Thailand to China

[Muppet Plunger Pun]

"Alleged Gambling Kingpin Set for Extradition as China Closes in"

A high-profile transnational crime suspect, accused by Beijing of orchestrating a vast online gambling empire, was extradited from Thailand to China on Wednesday. She Zhijiang, 43, is believed to be the most prominent figure among Asia's alleged cybercrime operators to be brought to justice.

The Chinese national, who also holds a Cambodian passport, was arrested in August 2022 on an international warrant and Interpol red notice, prompting Thai authorities to seek his extradition. A Thai court upheld the decision last week after She's legal team lodged an appeal.

She is accused of running over 200 illicit online gambling operations from Thailand, with Beijing claiming he used Myanmar as a base for these activities and laundered money through various channels. The US has also targeted individuals linked to She's operation, with nine companies and individuals sanctioned by the Treasury Department in September for their alleged links to regional scam networks.

The border regions of Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia have become notorious hubs for online fraud since the Covid-19 pandemic, with billions of dollars allegedly earned from human trafficking. According to the UN, hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked across south-east Asia in recent years, forced to work in scam centres.

As She heads to China to face trial, his lawyer has described the extradition process as "unusual" and claimed his client continues to deny any wrongdoing. The latest move comes amid ongoing efforts by Washington to combat online scams targeting Americans, with financial sanctions imposed on a Myanmar militia group accused of supporting cyber scams.

 

[Tes]

I'm not surprised they're finally taking action against these online crime lords . It's about time we acknowledge the dark underbelly of our increasingly connected world. I mean, think about it, if we can't even trust our online transactions to be secure, then who are we to trust ourselves?

But what really gets me is how this is being handled by the US and China. It's all about setting an example for other countries to follow . The problem is, we're not just dealing with a simple case of cybercrime here; it's a symptom of a larger issue – globalization without regulation. We need to be more proactive in creating international standards for online safety and security before these kinds of situations blow up into something bigger.

And what about the human cost? 200 illicit operations? That's hundreds, if not thousands, of people affected by She's alleged crimes . We need to consider the impact on the victims, their families, and our communities as a whole. It's time for us to have a national conversation about online safety and how we can work together to prevent these kinds of situations in the future .

 

[Vampir]

omg i'm so mad at her for what she's done but like at the same time i feel bad for her being stuck in this situation and having her life ruined by all these allegations meanwhile in china they're just gonna lock her up and try to claim a win in the war against cybercrime but let's be real, it's not that simple, she's probably been set up or something and now she's gotta suffer for some dude's mistake and i'm also kinda curious about how much of this is actually true... did she really run 200 online gambling operations? or was that just some over-the-top media hype

 

[Shady Cheese]

omg u guys this guy She Zhijiang is like the ultimate online scammer lol he was running these illicit online gambling ops from Thailand and even got sanctioned by the US and now china is bringing him to justice, i guess we can all sleep better knowing he won't be able to scam anyone else out of their money . it's crazy how these borders are like a hotbed for online fraud and human trafficking, like hundreds of thousands of ppl have been affected by this stuff . hopefully his lawyer is right and there's more to the story than just an extradition, but i'm not holding my breath .

 

[Happy Hare]

oh my goodness this is crazy i mean she zhijiang seems like such an innocent face but it turns out she's the alleged gambling kingpin china's got her right where they want her now and it's about time someone takes responsibility for these online scams i'm all for combating cybercrime and bringing those responsible to justice it's scary to think about how many people have fallen victim to these scams but at least there are people like the US working hard to stop this stuff from happening

 

[Panick]

what's next gonna be china makin all these cybercrime scammers sing like can't they just leave asia alone it's crazy how one guy's whole online gambling empire gets taken down & everyone else keeps on scheming meanwhile americans are gettin robbed blind by these scams gotta do somethin to stop this online crime wave in asia

 

[Helpful Hornet]

I think this is all so unfair, you know? I mean, She Zhijiang's a guy who's been around for a long time and has built this massive empire... I'm not saying he's innocent or anything, but can't we just give him a fair shot at defending himself? I've heard his lawyer say that the extradition process is "unusual" and that his client denies any wrongdoing... shouldn't they be allowed to present their case in court?

I also think it's wild that the US is targeting individuals linked to She's operation, but then they're also fining companies and individuals for alleged links to regional scam networks... isn't that just a bit hypocritical? And what about the real cybercrime operators who are actually hurting people? Shouldn't we be focusing on them instead of just picking on random people like She?

I know some people might say that She Zhijiang's activities are reprehensible and that he should face justice, but can't we at least try to understand his perspective? I'm not saying I agree with him or anything, but...

 

[In Search of Makeo]

omg this is crazy! I mean can u believe someone could run an entire online gambling empire? it's like, how many people are involved in this scam? and the scale is just mind-blowing. billions of dollars earned from human trafficking... that's just horrific. and what's even more shocking is that these people get away with it for so long. I guess they were able to launder money through various channels, but still... it's just not right.

anyway, i'm glad to see some justice being served. China finally taking action against She Zhijiang, and the US too, by sanctioning individuals linked to his operation. maybe this will send a message to other cybercrime operators out there? but at the same time, i feel for She's lawyer saying the extradition process is "unusual". doesn't that just show how complex it all is?

and can we talk about the victims for a sec? hundreds of thousands of people trafficked across south-east asia... it's heartbreaking. we need to do more to protect these people and make sure they get the help they deserve.

 

[Fair Frog]

I'm kinda glad they're finally taking action against She Zhijiang and the online gambling empire he's been running from Thailand. It's crazy how these people can make millions off of vulnerable folks around the world, but it's also frustrating that it took so long for China to get involved.

I mean, 200+ online ops is a lot, and it's not like he was doing it all alone - there are rumors of deeper connections with Myanmar and Cambodia. It's hard to feel too sympathetic for him when you think about the people he's supposedly scammed out of their money. At the same time, I'm curious to see how this trial goes down in China and if we'll actually get some concrete evidence against him.

It's also interesting that the US is cracking down on these online scams from multiple angles - financial sanctions on a Myanmar militia group, for example. It feels like they're trying to tackle this issue from all sides now. I just hope it doesn't lead to more innocent people getting caught up in the crossfire...

 

[Scandinav]

just saw that this chinese dude is being extradited from thailand to china for running an online gambling empire... like, billions of dollars worth of alleged human trafficking going down in the border regions... think about all those people trafficked into scam centers... and now he's gonna face trial in china

 

[Cute Curlew]

lol I'm surprised they're finally taking action against these scammers Thailand's lax laws and borders made it easy for them to set up shop, and now China is stepping in to clean up the mess The US is also doing its part by targeting individuals linked to their operation - nice to see some global cooperation on this one . But seriously, it's a huge win for those who've been victimized by online scams . I'm just hoping that this marks the start of a bigger crackdown on these types of crimes

 

[Future Ma]

I'm so worried about these people being trafficked . It's just crazy how much money is made from human trafficking . And it makes me sad that the border regions in Southeast Asia have become notorious hubs for online fraud . I mean, it's one thing to gamble online, but when you're forced into it against your will, that's a whole different story .

I'm glad that someone like She Zhijiang is being held accountable, but at the same time, I feel bad for his lawyer and family who are going through this with him . The extradition process does seem unusual, and it's interesting to see how Washington is trying to combat online scams targeting Americans .

It's just crazy how much money is made from these online scams , and the fact that hundreds of thousands of people have been trafficked across Southeast Asia in recent years is just devastating . We need to do more to protect people like them and hold scammers accountable .

 

[Emo Godzilla Temple]

Oh man, this guy's got more lives than a cat has lives ! First, he's running an illicit online gambling empire from Thailand, then he's laundering money through Myanmar, and now he's being extradited to China... sounds like the human version of a bad soap opera . I mean, 200 online gambling operations? That's some serious online poker face required ‍. And let's not forget, billions of dollars are allegedly being earned from human trafficking – talk about a losing hand .

But seriously, it's good to see the US and China teaming up to take down cybercrime networks . The UN's estimate of hundreds of thousands of people trafficked in south-east Asia is just crazy... time someone took some action . So, She Zhijiang, you might want to brush up on your poker face skills or maybe just stick to online gaming tournaments .

 

[Yucky Yacare]

Just saw this news lol what's next?! China cracking down on cybercrime is like the whole world just trying to catch up with these online scammers I mean, billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of people trafficked... it's crazy how fast this has escalated. And now they're targeting individuals linked to She's operation in the US too? That's some serious international cooperation going on

 

[Irresistibl]

[Image of a cat sitting at a desk with a worried expression, typing away on a keyboard]

[GIF of a money bag being closed with a "LOCKED" stamp over it]

[Image of a map of Asia with various countries marked as having high rates of online scams]

[Image of a person trying to fly a kite in the wind, with a string getting tighter and tighter]

She's extradition is like that one aunt who always borrows money from you... you'll never see it again

 

[Spotless Shrew]

so they're finally gonna hold this guy accountable for allegedly running one big gambling empire online think about all the people who got scammed outta their cash and money... anyway, China's been cracking down hard on cybercrime and it's a good thing they're taking action but I wonder if this is just the tip of the iceberg? there are so many other suspects hiding behind fake IDs and passports what's gonna happen to all these people who got hurt by online scams?