Suspected Cambodian Online Scam Boss Extradited to China

A man named Li Xiong, suspected of being a core member of an online fraud network in Cambodia, has been extradited to China, as reported by China’s state media CCTV on Wednesday (03/04).

The Cambodian government has confirmed the extradition through a statement.

“Investigations have found that Li Xiong, the former chairman of Huione Group under the Prince Group, is suspected of involvement in several criminal acts,” stated the CCTV report, a government-run media outlet.

In the CCTV report, Li is described as a “core member of the criminal gang led by Chen Zhi”.

Chen Zhi, the alleged mastermind behind the online scams in Cambodia

Chen is the founder of Prince Group, one of Cambodia’s largest conglomerates, which according to its website focuses on “property development, financial services, and consumer services.”

In January, he was extradited to China. Chen is accused of controlling complex forced labour operations across Cambodia.

Chen previously served as an advisor to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and his father, former leader Hun Sen. 

However, in an interview with AFP in February, Hun Manet claimed that the government “did not know that he [Chen] was the mastermind behind the network,” thus rejecting allegations of collusion levelled against the government.

Both Chen and Li held Cambodian citizenship, which was subsequently revoked by the Cambodian government.

The online scam crisis

In 2025, the United States accused the Prince Group of acting as a front for “one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal organisations.”

Human rights groups state that Cambodia hosts tens of thousands of people engaged in online scams.

A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “eradicating online gambling and telecommunications fraud is a shared responsibility of the global community.”