Today’s Focus: Prince Group’s leader Chen Zhi deported to China, rumored to have close ties with high-ranking Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials! Is he the head of a scam empire or an agent of the CCP? With deep hidden connections, extradition is urgent to avoid involvement with the US and UK!
Guests on this episode: Mr. Honghe, host of “Honghe Commentary”; Dr. Shen Mingshi, researcher at the Taiwan Institute for National Defense and Security. Host: Jin Shi.
The White House on Wednesday issued a memorandum signed by President Trump, announcing the United States’ withdrawal from 66 international organizations and institutions. Now, let’s connect with White House reporter Zhang Liang. Zhang Liang, can you explain why President Trump has decided to cut funding for these organizations and withdraw? Which specific organizations are involved?
Mr. Honghe, why do you think the Trump administration is choosing to abruptly withdraw from so many international organizations and institutions? Will this impact America’s global leadership?
The White House recently emphasized that the US does not rule out using force to obtain Greenland. Zhang Liang, what is President Trump’s latest stance on the Greenland issue, and how has Denmark, the sovereign nation of Greenland, responded?
Dr. Shen, the White House stated that the Trump administration has discussed various methods to acquire Greenland, including military action and purchasing. Additionally, analysts suggest that the Trump administration could also target Greenland residents, demonstrating the benefits of joining the US. Which method do you believe Trump is more likely to choose? Will Trump ultimately succeed in acquiring Greenland?
Cambodia’s Ministry of Interior suddenly announced on Wednesday the arrest of three Chinese nationals, including Chen Zhi, the founder and chairman of Prince Group, and deported them back to China. Chinese state media CCTV publicly aired footage of Chen Zhi’s arrest on the evening of the 8th.
The Chinese Ministry of Public Security listed at least four charges against Chen Zhi, including involvement in operating casinos, online fraud, illegal business operations, and concealing criminal proceeds. The Chinese side stated that a special task force from the Ministry of Public Security escorted Chen Zhi back to China from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, considering the entire case as an important achievement of so-called law enforcement cooperation between China and Cambodia.
However, foreign media analysis points out that Chen Zhi’s deportation to China is akin to being protected by the CCP, preventing judicial intervention from countries like the US and UK.
A brief introduction to Chen Zhi: 38-year-old Chen Zhi, born in Lianjiang County, Fujian Province, China. In 2011, Chen Zhi went to Cambodia to invest in the real estate market. In 2014, he obtained Cambodian citizenship through investment immigration. In 2015, he founded Prince Group, which later expanded into various sectors such as banking, finance, and tourism, becoming one of the largest conglomerates in Cambodia. The source of Chen Zhi’s wealth remains unclear.
On October 14, 2025, the US and the UK launched one of the largest operations against cybercrime in Southeast Asia. The US Department of Justice charged Chen Zhi with fraud and money laundering. The DOJ accused Chen Zhi of running a “vast cyber fraud empire,” manipulating a series of large-scale cryptocurrency scams, and even involving forced labor. In a joint operation by the US and the UK, approximately 127,000 Bitcoins owned by Chen Zhi, valued at around $15 billion, were seized.
Simultaneously, the US Treasury included 146 individuals and entities related to Prince Group on the sanctions list. Chen Zhi’s assets in the UK and 19 properties in London were frozen. Thailand and Singapore also began investigating Prince Group.
Furthermore, Chen Zhi’s business network and his relationships within the region involve political sensitivity, with reports suggesting his connections with multiple high-ranking CCP officials.
Mr. Honghe, why is Chen Zhi’s case so wide-reaching internationally? Several Southeast Asian countries and the UK and US have taken legal action against him. Dr. Shen, the US Department of Justice filed charges against Chen Zhi last October, and his whereabouts became unknown. Suddenly, news emerged of his deportation back to China. Cambodia claimed that this deportation was in response to China’s request. Why do you think the CCP chose to arrest and repatriate Chen Zhi at this time?
The US indictment alleges that Chen Zhi turned Prince Group into one of the “largest transnational criminal organizations in Asia.” According to the US Treasury, Americans lost at least $10 billion due to fraud in Southeast Asia in 2024. However, the losses for Americans may just be the tip of the iceberg for the entire scam operation.
Prince Group built at least 10 scam areas in Cambodia. Many foreign citizens were lured with false job opportunities, only to be recruited and restricted in their freedom, forced to engage in telecommunications fraud within the compound, enduring slave-like living conditions. Among the fraud victims, many were Chinese.
Surprisingly, Prince Group received the “Social Responsibility Exemplar Award” at the China Finance Summit in 2021 and 2022. Media reports hailed Chen Zhi as a “positive entrepreneur” and “philanthropist.”
Mr. Honghe, there are reports suggesting that Chen Zhi has close ties to high-ranking CCP officials, with his business ventures touching on politically sensitive areas, implying that Prince Group may even act as the CCP’s proxy in Southeast Asia. How do you view these claims and the complexity of Chen Zhi’s case?
According to the US Department of Justice indictment, Chen Zhi is accused of money laundering and telecom fraud, affecting victims globally with illegal profits amounting to billions of dollars. If convicted in the US, Chen Zhi could face up to 40 years in prison.
Experts note that by deporting Chen Zhi back to China, the path for the US to bring him back for trial has been cut off, as there is no extradition agreement between China and the US.
Dr. Shen, how do you assess the role of the CCP government in Chen Zhi’s fraud group? If Chen Zhi were to fall into the hands of the US Department of Justice, what could it mean for the CCP government?
Last year, a similar case occurred. On November 12, the founder of Myanmar’s Mweadai Gambling Group, “Asia Pacific New City,” She Zhijiang, was extradited from Thailand to China. The UK and US also imposed sanctions on She Zhijiang and his Asia Pacific Group, accusing them of fraud and serious human rights violations. She Zhijiang claimed to be a spy for the CCP, stating that he founded the Asia Pacific Group based on instructions from the Chinese Ministry of State Security. She Zhijiang claimed that his arrest and extradition back to China were due to political persecution by the CCP, as he knew too many secrets of the CCP’s Ministry of State Security and the “Belt and Road Initiative.”
Mr. Honghe, how do you view the authenticity of She Zhijiang’s statements? Could the case of Chen Zhi be similar to She Zhijiang’s situation?
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