Japan arrests alleged Cambodia-based scam network leader

Japanese police have arrested a suspected key figure within Cambodia's Prince Group, an organization accused by the United States of orchestrating one of Southeast Asia's largest digital fraud and human trafficking rings. The detained individual, identified as Hu Shi, a 44-year-old Chinese-born Cypriot national, was apprehended on June 14 for allegedly submitting a fraudulent change of address notification.

Authorities also detained two Chinese nationals, aged 31 and 36, who reportedly work for a company in Tokyo. They are suspected of falsifying Hu's residency registration, though both have denied the charges. This development follows previous actions by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which in October 2025 imposed sanctions on over 140 individuals associated with Prince Group. The U.S. accused the conglomerate of conducting digital investment scams that targeted Americans and others globally, resulting in losses exceeding $16 billion.

Prince Group's leader, magnate Chen Zhi, was previously detained by the Cambodian government in January, stripped of his Cambodian nationality, and extradited to China. Following these events, the Cambodian government froze property sales by Prince Group. The arrest in Japan adds another layer to the international efforts to dismantle the alleged criminal network and hold its leaders accountable.