China Sentences 11 Ming Family Members to Death Over Myanmar Scam Empire

• China has sentenced 11 members of the Ming family to death for running scam centres in Myanmar, in a sweeping crackdown on cross-border fraud
• The family’s criminal empire reportedly generated over £1bn through gambling, trafficking, and online scams
• The verdict depicted Beijing’s resolve to dismantle the so-called “scamdemic” plaguing its border regions

A Chinese court has sentenced 11 members of the notorious Ming family to death for their role in operating scam centres in Myanmar, according to Chinese state media.

The ruling, delivered on Monday in the eastern city of Wenzhou, marks one of the harshest punishments handed down in China’s ongoing crackdown on cross-border fraud.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that a total of 39 members of the Ming family were convicted of criminal activities. In addition to the 11 death sentences, five individuals received death sentences with two-year suspensions, 11 were jailed for life, and the remaining defendants were handed prison terms ranging from five to 24 years.

Laukkai scam centres generated over £1bn

The court found that since 2015, the Ming family and affiliated criminal groups had engaged in a wide array of illegal operations, including telecommunications fraud, drug trafficking, illegal casinos, and prostitution. Their activities reportedly generated more than 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion; £1 billion) in illicit revenue.

The Ming family operated in Laukkai, a remote town in Myanmar’s Shan State near the Chinese border. Once a quiet backwater, Laukkai was transformed into a hub for gambling and scam centres by four powerful clans, including the Mings. The town’s casinos, originally developed to cater to Chinese gamblers, evolved into fronts for money laundering and trafficking.

Crouching Tiger villa and worker abuse

Among the Ming family’s operations was the infamous Crouching Tiger Villa compound, which reportedly housed at least 10,000 workers. Victims were allegedly subjected to beatings and torture, with the court confirming that several scam centre workers had died. In one incident, workers were shot to prevent them from returning to China.

The United Nations has described the phenomenon as a “scamdemic”, estimating that over 100,000 foreign nationals, many of them Chinese, have been lured to scam centres where they are imprisoned and forced to run online fraud operations targeting global victims.

Myanmar offensive and Chinese influence

In 2023, Myanmar authorities arrested numerous members of the Ming family and extradited them to China. This followed a major offensive two years earlier by an alliance of insurgent groups that ousted the Myanmar military from parts of Shan State, including Laukkai. Analysts believe China, which maintains influence over these groups, tacitly approved the operation.

Ming Xuechang, the patriarch of the family, reportedly took his own life. Other family members were handed over to Chinese authorities, with some making remorseful confessions. Thousands of scam centre workers have also been repatriated to China.

The sentencing signals Beijing’s intent to clamp down on scam operations along its border. Earlier this year, pressure from China prompted Thailand to take action against similar centres along its frontier with Myanmar.

China sentences man to death for car-ramming attack

Legit.ng earlier reported that a Chinese court has sentenced a man to death for a car-ramming attack that killed 35 people and injured 43 others in Zhuhai, according to state media reports on Friday. Fan W., the defendant, was convicted of endangering public safety through dangerous methods.

The court described his motives as “extremely vile,” his actions as “egregious,” and his methods as “particularly cruel,” with consequences that caused significant societal harm.

Source: Legit.ng