Chen Zhi has been arrested in Cambodia and extradited to China, according to an announcement from the Cambodian Ministry of Interior.
Specifically, Tran Chi and two other Chinese citizens were arrested and extradited on January 6th, following months of investigation and at the request of the Chinese authorities.
Chen Zhi – Chairman of Prince Group in Cambodia – is a Chinese citizen holding dual citizenship, in which his Cambodian citizenship was revoked by royal decree issued in December 2025.
In October 2025, Tran Chi was accused by the US Treasury Department and the UK Foreign Office of being the head of a transnational criminal network that defrauded victims globally and exploited trafficked laborers.
"Scam centers" have sprung up all over Southeast Asia, specializing in luring victims into fraudulent investment schemes to swindle money. According to estimates by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in 2023 alone, victims worldwide lost between $18 and $37 billion.
The US and UK have imposed sanctions on Tran Chi and related companies, primarily operating in the real estate and financial services sectors.
US officials said they seized an estimated $14 billion worth of Bitcoin linked to the network's activities.
US prosecutors say Tran Chi's organization defrauded approximately 250 US citizens, stealing millions of dollars, including one victim who lost as much as $400,000 in cryptocurrency.
According to the US Treasury Department, in 2024 alone, Americans lost at least $10 billion due to scams originating from Southeast Asia.
In addition to the Bitcoin seized by the US, British authorities also froze Chen's businesses and assets in the country, including a €12 million mansion and a €100 million office building in London. Numerous other assets were subsequently seized in Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
China has also not yet given an official response regarding the extradition of Chen Zhi and two other individuals named by the Cambodian Ministry of Interior, Xu Ji Liang and Shao Ji Hui.
